Poll: APC adopts direct primary for Kogi Governorship

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted direct mode of primaries for the conduct of forthcoming Kogi Governorship Primary Election slated for April 14.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the party informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision to adopt the direct primary mode in a letter dated April 6.

The letter, which was signed by the party’s Acting National Chairman, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja, followed an earlier one to the commission dated Jan. 25

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The letter read in part: “We refer to our earlier letter dated January 25th 2023, with reference no: APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/023/191.

“Wherein we notified the commission of the mode of primary election for the conduct of the Gubernatorial Primary Election in Kogi.

“However, our great party, the APC, has reviewed the modalities for the conduct of the gubernatorial primary election in Kogi.

“And has, therefore, resorted to adopt the direct mode of primary election instead of the indirect mode as earlier communicated,” it said.

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According to the letter, there would be a Special Congress to ratify the candidate with the highest number of votes at the primary election in the state scheduled for Saturday, April 15.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that an Abuja Federal High Court, on Wednesday, nullified the Kogi APC delegate list for the purpose of nominating a governorship candidate for the party.

The composition of the delegate list had raised concerns among the party’s critical stakeholders in Kogi who said they were not carried alone during its compilation.

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Justice James Omotosho, while delivering judgment, voided the party’s ward and local government congresses conducted on Feb. 7 in Kogi, saying they were not conducted in compliance with 2022 Electoral Act and the APC Constitution.

However, stakeholders of the party across the country had said that the judgment was only an academic exercise as the party had already decided to adopt the direct mode.

The Kogi governor election had been fixed for Nov. 11 by INEC.(NAN)