APC NWC postpones Bayelsa governorship primaries

The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has postponed the date for the Bayelsa State governorship primaries.
It has been moved from August 29 to August 31.
The ruling party said this in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary,  Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in Abuja on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the party had on July 9 released its timetable to conduct Kogi and Bayelsa States governorship primaries on August 29.
NAN also reports that the party has adopted the direct mode of primaries for the selection of its candidate in Bayelsa State, while choosing indirect in Kogi State.
A court in Bayelsa State on Wednesday, however, told the party to put the mode of primaries on hold until a substantive suit before it it decided.
But, according to Issa-Onilu, the party has adopted the direct mode of primary in line with the written request of the Bayelsa State chapter and majority of the stakeholders.
He said: “This is in compliance with the decision of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC), which grants state chapters and majority of party leaders in a state the right to decide on the mode of primary they wish to adopt.”
In a related development, some members of APC on the auspice of Kogi Mandate Group have expressed concern over the disqualification of a Kogi State governorship aspirant, Babatunde Irukera.
The screening committee, headed by Senator Hope Uzodinma, had on August 26 released its report disqualifying Irukera.
The National Coordinator, Kogi Mandate Group, Amos Alfa, said the group was at the APC National Secretariat to protest against the disqualification of Irukera.
According to Alfa, the NWC of the party should do justice to ensure that Irukera takes part in the primaries.
“Justice should be done and ensure that this party doesn’t lose Kogi to a wrong hand,” Alfa said.