Former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva, is set to hit back at the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the cancellation of the disrupted September 22 primary election.
The decision of the APC to reschedule the primary was disclosed by its Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, on Wednesday.
Odigie-Oyegun hinged the decision on the security challenges, adding that leadership of the party would meet to choose a new date for the exercise.
The inconclusive primary held at the Samson Siasia Stadium, Yenagoa, on Tuesday was frustrated by fracas involving supporters of most of the 19 aspirants.
The situation led to the walk-out of 14 aspirants, including Timi Alaibe, from the venue after Chairman of the primaries committee, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, was whisked out by soldiers to avoid being attacked.
Results of the purported primary indicated that Sylva polled 726 votes to defeat his closest rival, Alaibe, who got four votes.
A total of 1,502 delegates were expected to participate in the primary.
But the APC may have concluded plans to conduct a fresh primary next week Tuesday, New Telegraph reports.
Although Oshiomhole had spoken of his intention to step aside, the party had appealed to him to complete the exercise with assurances of its trust and confidence in him.
It was gathered that the APC was considering having Oshiomhole and two other governors to conduct the fresh primary.
One of them is Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal. The other is expected from the South-West.
The development, being monitored by Sylva and his loyalists, may lead to a legal battle as Sylva has contacted his lawyers.
DAILY POST gathered from a source that Sylva’s team may file a suit on Monday.
The APC is in a dire situation for any court ruling in favour of Sylva will affect the conduct of a fresh primary as well as APC preparation and strategy for the December 5 election.
A source close to the former governor confided in Saturday Telegraph that the legal option would stand if the national leadership decides to go ahead with the fresh exercise.
“With the manner the national leadership of our party is carrying on with total flagrant and disregard for its own rules and regulations, as well as the party’s constitution, we may have no option than to go to the court because the court is the last hope of the common man.
“If the party insists on forging ahead with the planned fresh governorship primary, we as supporters of the governorship candidate will head to the courts to stop this illegality because there is no need for such a primary again since we have conducted a legitimate one,” he said.
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