The State Working Committee (SWC), and other major stakeholders in Bayelsa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday, adopted the direct mode of primaries to elect candidates for the November 16 governorship poll.
The decision was taken at meeting well attended by key stakeholders; including the state leader of the party and former governor, Chief Timipre Sylva, the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, a former member of the Buhari campaign Organisation, Preye Aganaba and elected National Assembly members of the party, held amidst rowdy atmosphere.
The State Chairman of the Party , Mr. Jothan Amos, while delivering his opening remark, said the meeting was summoned to discuss the mode of party primaries and suggested that it will be direct primaries to sustain the tempo of the party successes from the last National and State Assemblies election.
Also buttressing the position of the state chairman, the member of the Federal House of Representative, representing Southern Ijaw Constituency, Hon. Preye Oseke, called on the members of the party to remain calm as the decision on mode of primaries should not be allowed to divide the party.
Oseke reminded party faithful that the issue of mode of primaries is a constitutional matter and that it behold on the chairman of the party to put the question before the stakeholders, “there is no need for us to quarrel over the issue of Direct or Indirect primaries. We have all agreed that we have a common goal which the fact that restoration government must go.
“As politicians, we can fight and disagree, but we know that we have a common goal. Now it is a better chance, we must put our house in order.”
Leader of the APC in the state and former Governor, Sylva, also spoke on the need to remain calm and insisted that Bayelsa was not the only state having Governorship election this year and see no reason for rancour.
He warned, “This is not the way of the APC, something has crept into it. APC is a family. I have said it times without numbers that whoever wants to aspire can aspire and the party is to ensure that we win in November 16 election.”
“We should not start insisting on procedures; I cannot attend a meeting of party family and be insisting. This is a family meeting and you can not be insisting. Contact your people in Kogi State, nobody called them from the national body to insist on procedure; it is a simple process and should not be a rancorous meeting.”
DAILY POST learnt that it was immediately the state chairman, Jothan Amos put the question to the already rowdy meeting, some shouted direct, while others just kept shouting ‘No!No!!No!!! and everyone left the venue.
Meanwhile, the State Secretary of the Party, Alabo Martins later told newsmen that the resolution agreed by all stakeholders was the direct mode of voting for the Governorship primary of the party.
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