Bayelsa APC primary: Anxiety as aspirants await NWC decision on guber ticket

THERE is anxiety in Bayel­sa State as the governorship aspirants of the All Progres­sives Congress (APC) await the decision of the party’s National Working Commit­tee (NWC) on the controver­sy trailing its governorship primary election held on September 22 at the Samson Siasia sports complex.

Recall that the chairman of the electoral committee, Governor Adams Oshiom­hole of Edo State had al­leged that former governor, Timipre Sylva, hijacked the primary election with thugs, who held him and the other members hostage, but Syl­va, in his defense, described Oshiomhole as a mischief maker, insisting that he re­mained the flag bearer of the party because he emerged winner of the primary elec­tion, which was later can­celled by the party’s national leadership.

In line with the guidelines released by the Independent National Electoral Commis­sion ( INEC) on the Decem­ber 5 governorship election in the state, the party has up till Wednesday to submit the name of its candidate for the election.

Checks indicated that the anxiety over the primary election was heightened when the national chair­man of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and the deputy national pub­licity secretary, Mr. Timi Frank, announced the can­cellation, before the NWC could consider the petitions and reports on the exercise.