The All Progressives Congress, APC, has explained why it did not give its candidate in the last governorship election in the state, David Lyon an automatic ticket to contest the coming November 11th state governorship poll.
The ruling APC said the party decided to make its governorship primary in Bayelsa state, scheduled to hold on Friday, to be open for all aspirants to contest for sake of fairness and in adherence to the Electoral Act 2022.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka stated this in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday.
He said though the party leaders have sympathy for David Lyon over the loss of his mandate in 2020, “you cannot use sympathy to upstage legality and due process”.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC is expected to conduct off-cycle governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo states, respectively on November 11, 2023.
Recall that Lyon, who was the APC candidate in the 2019 Bayelsa State Governorship Election, had been declared Governor-Elect by INEC.
However, in February 2020, the Supreme Court sacked the Lyon, and his Deputy, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieoyo and affirmed Duoye Diri and Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo as Bayelsa governor and deputy governor respectively
Lyon’s election was nullified after his deputy was accused of submitting forged certificates to INEC.
Lyon has bought the party’s N50m governorship ticket to contest Friday’s primary. Amongst some of his co-contenders is a former governor of the state and an ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
Why APC adopts direct primaries
The APC said it will adopt the direct mode for Friday’s governorship primaries in the three states, which involves all card-carrying members or registered members of the party in each of the wards of the three states to elect the aspirants of their choice as the party’s candidates.
Morka said Hope Uzodimma of Imo State is the sole aspirant of the party but the primary will hold in accordance with the Electoral Act 2022.
“Governor Hope Uzodimma is the sole aspirant for that position for our party in Imo. Even though he is the sole aspirant, the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 must be fulfilled, hence the conduct of the primary on Friday,” he said.
About six aspirants are vying for the ticket in Bayelsa including Lyon and Sylva.
The APC National Publicity Secretary said, “He (David Lyon) contested election and he won and the majority votes that he scored was never challenged or disputed.
“So, the fact that he was not inaugurated as governor was not because there was any question mark on his victory. He won the election free and clear but unfortunately some technical issues with the fellow who ran with him warranted some court order and deprived him of the fruit of that success.
He said many Nigerians cast their votes for him for years ago and they should vote him if he is still their preferred choice.
“They spoke loud and clear and now that a time has come for that election, we’re hoping that as citizens, they’re free to go to the primaries, for those of them who are members of the party to support him if that is their preference still or support any of the other aspirants in the race,” he said.
