…upholds ex-Cross River REC disqualification
The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cleared five more aspirants to contest the party governorship primary scheduled for Thursday, August 29 in Lokoja.
This brings to nine the number of aspirants out of the 16 that purchased nomination forms to contest the election.
The NWC also approved the disqualification of seven others.
It further upheld the disqualification of the immediate past Resident Electoral Commissioner for Cross River state, Frankland Briyal saying it could find evidence of his membership of the party, having joined less than one month to the primary in Bayelsa.
Among those whose disqualification has been approved are Babatunde Irekura and the two sons of late Prince Abubakar Audi, Mustapha and Mohammed Abubakar Audu.
The screening committee headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma had disqualified 12 of the 16 aspirants for the primary for not meeting some of the requirement spelt out in the guidelines.
Those who will contest the party ticket are current Governor Yahaya Bello, Hadiza Iyoma Ibrahim, Yahaya Odidi Audu, Sani Lulu Abdullahi, Engr. Abubakar Bashir, Engr. Danlami Umar Mohammed, Yakubu Mohammed, Hassan Abdullahi and Ekele Aishat Blessing.
The party however refused to give their approval to Prof. Mohammed Seidu Onaili, Usman Oyibe Jibrin. Mustapha Mona Audu Rukkaya Ibrahim, Gen. Patrick Adenu Akpa, Babatunde Ayo Kunle Irukera and Muhammed Abubakar Unukwu Audu.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, said in a statement that the party relied on the provisions of its guidelines and the electoral act in arriving at a final decision.
The statement reads: “the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has deliberated on the reports of the screening and appeal committees for the Party’s Kogi Governorship aspirants.
“After a comprehensive review of the submissions by the two committees, relying on the party’s guidelines and the provisions of the Electoral Act, nine aspirants were finally cleared to contest the August 29, 2019 Indirect Governorship primary. Seven other aspirants did not meet the requirements for participation in the exercise.”
On Bayelsa, he said the NWC upheld the reports of the screening and appeal committees clearing six of the seven aspirants that bought nomination forms.
He said “of the total seven governorship aspirants that were screened, six were cleared to participate in the governorship primary in Bayelsa state. They are: Mr. Aganaba Preye Steven, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Prince Ebitimi Christopher Amgbare, Ms. Diseye Nsirim Poweigha, Mr. Lyon David Pereworimini, and Engr. Prof (Mrs.) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu.
“Dr. Briyai Oyeins Frankland was not cleared to participate in the Party’s governorship primary “The APC NWC upheld the disqualification of Dr. Briyai Oyeins Frankland based on Section 3 Paragraph “L” of the Party’s guidelines for the nomination of candidates which requires that aspirants are card-carrying member of the party for a period of one year.
“The party also found no record of his membership of APC and was therefore considered ineligible.”