Twenty-five governorship aspirants are to appear before the screening committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the party’s primaries for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states’ off-session elections.

It was learnt that during its meeting last week, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) adjusted the timetable and shifted the party’s primaries from April 10 to April 14.

The shift reportedly became necessary as the earlier date fell on Easter Monday, hence the shift by four days.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed November 11 for the governorship poll in the three states.

The Nation learnt that the screening will begin tomorrow through Sunday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Kogi State has 18 aspirants, while six other aspirants are to contest the party’s ticket in Bayelsa State.

Sources in the Directorate of Organisation of the party in Abuja told our correspondent that the second term bid of Imo State Governor Hope Obidika Uzordima apears sealed as he is the only one who picked the party’s governorship expression of interest and nomination forms ahead of the governorship election.

For Bayelsa State, six aspirants picked and submitted the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.

They include the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipreye Silva, who will slug it out for the party’s ticket with the 2019 governor-elect, Chief David Pereworimini Lyon.

Also on the ballot for the April 14 party primary are: Ogbomade Isikima Johnson, Prof. Ongoebi Etebu Maureen, Festus Daumiebi Sunday and Joshua Maciver.

Top on the list of Kogi State aspirants is Deputy Governor Edward David Onoja; Secretary to the APC Presidential Campaign Council, James Faleke; incumbent senator representing Kogi West and former National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Smart Adeyemi, and the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello, Mr. Abdulkareem Asuku.

Others are: APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Muritala Yakubu Ajaka; son of former Governor Abubakar Audu, Prince Shauibu Abubakar Audu; a former Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Fund, Sanusi Ohiare; Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Commissioner Salami Momodu O. Deedat; and Auditor General of Local Government, Usman Ododo.

Also on Kogi State primary’s ballot is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Crime, Oseni Yakubu as well as Halima I. Alfa, Momoh Jibrin, Alhaji Yusuf Yakubu Okala, Asiru Idris, Prof. Stephen Ikani Ocheni, Abubakar Yahaya Achimugu, Idachaba Friday and David A. Jimoh.

The schedule of activities and timetable for the three governorship elections showed that the screening of aspirants is slated for March 24 to 26; names of cleared aspirants will be published on Tuesday, March 28; while the screening appeal will take place on Wednesday, March 29.

The governorship primaries of the three states are billed to hold on April 14.

Also, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri is the sole Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the state’s offseason governorship election scheduled to hold on November 11.

PDP’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, will vie for the party’s ticket in Imo State’s offseason governorship election.

Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shuaibu, who announced Governor Diri as sole aspirant, said the governor’s documents had been scrutinised and were found to be in order.

Shuaibu, who is the chairman of the screening committee for the Bayelsa State Governorship Election, announced this yesterday after the screening at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja.

Speaking after screening of the Imo aspirants, Anyanwu said he was not contemplating stepping down for Ihedioha.

According to him, Ihedioha had taken a shot at the Imo governorship on three occasions and that it’s time to have a different candidate.

Chairman of the Imo State Screening Panel, Senator Gabriel Suswam said only Anyanwu and Ihedioha appeared before the committee for screening.

Suswam added that the two aspirants passed the screening and found qualified to seek the party’s ticket.

25 aspirants in race for APC governorship tickets in Kogi, Imo, Bayelsa

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