Fresh facts emerged on Wednesday night on how Kogi State Chapter of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC outsmarted the Court Ruling that Nullified the Ward and Local Government Delegate list for Gubernatorial Primary of the party.
An Abuja Federal High Court, had on Wednesday, nullified the Kogi State All Progressive Congress’ delegate list for the purpose of nominating a governorship candidate for the party in the November governorship elections.
Justice James Omotosho while delivering Judgement, voided the ward and local government congresses said to have been conducted on February 7 on the grounds that they were not conducted in compliance with the Electoral Act 2022, and the Constitution of the APC.
But the All Progressives Congress (APC) had adopted a direct mode of primaries for the conduct of the governorship primary election in Kogi State before the Court Ruling.
The party informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the aspirants of its decision to adopt the direct mode in a letter dated 6th April, 2023, and signed by the Acting National Chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari.
“We refer to our earlier letter dated 25th January, 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 State.
“However, our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reviewed the modalities for the conduct of the Gubernatorial Primary Election in Kogi State and has therefore resorted to adopt the DIRECT mode of primary election instead of the Indirect Mode as earlier communicated.
“The date for the conduct of the primary election still remains Friday 14th April, 2023.
“Following the above, there shall be a Special Congress to ratify the candidate with the highest number of votes at the Gubernatorial Primary Election in Kogi State scheduled for Saturday, 15th April, 2023”, the letter reads in parts.
With the development, effort to stop the Primary election has been thwarted as the Governor has gone far ahead of the Plaintiff to avoid a recurrence of what happened to the Party in Zamfara in 2019.
