Former Governor Okowa In Panic Mood Over Fresh Petitions
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the camp of Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in the 2027 Senatorial Primaries on the All Progressives Congress, APC platform is currently in panic mood over alleged violation of the rules of the primary elections.
Ifeanyi Okowa is a former governor of Delta State and currently vying for Delta North Senate seat.
Uncertainty trailed the outcome of Monday’s Senate primaries with the party querying the Primary Committees for announcing results and winners direct from states district collation centres in the nationwide exercise.
Ajibola Basiru, APC National Secretary, who highlighted the party’s objection to the development, yesterday, noted that the primary committees over-reached themselves in announcing winners for the exercise in defiance of the National Working Committee, NWC, directive for final results and declaration of winners to be announced at Abuja headquarters of the party.
His words: “The circular signed by the National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu, was to the effect that results would and may be declared and collated but the final announcement of the results would be done at the National Headquarters.
“There will be a collation of results at the Local Government level. There will also be collation at the Constituency level. The logic of this process is to be able to look at whatever complaint that might have been, so that could be addressed before you make final pronouncement in that regard.
“Just like it has been said that some people have issues about what has happened in the field. Aside from the National Convention of our party and the National Executive Committee, NEC, the NWC is the highest organ that has the capability to be able to look through whatever issue, whatever complaint.
“So rather than see it as a way to undermine the process, it should be seen as a way to safeguard the process and ensure that it is seen as fair treatment.
“Whatever complaint anybody has in terms of what has happened in the field receives fair assessment before final pronouncement will be made as to the winner or loser of that election.”
The development has provoked doubts over the victories recorded by Senators Ifeanyi Okowa for Delta North, Ede Dafinone (Central) and Joel Onowakpo-Thomas (South) even as opponents hope on the NWC to announce final results to the contrary.
Arising from this development, insider confirmed to OpenLife that the APC NASS appeal committee has received about 7 petitions from Delta State as a result of the perceived irregularities that defined the primaries.
Chairman of the APC National Assembly Primaries Appeal Committee for Delta State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ujam, on Tuesday, disclosed that the committee has received petitions arising from the primaries in Delta state.
Dr. Ujam, who spoke with journalists at the APC secretariat in Asaba, said the committee was already reviewing petitions submitted by aggrieved party members and stakeholders over the conduct of the exercises.
NASS Members Lose Return Tickets
Meanwhile, as the final results of the House of Representatives and Senate primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, are awaited, no fewer than 70 of the party’s 330 serving lawmakers in the National Assembly will not return in 2027.
APC has 242 Reps and 88 senators, most of whom are seeking re-election. Rep Donatus Matthew, famously known as okada rider, who was elected on the platform of the Labour Party, LP, to represent Kaura Constituency, Kaduna, but defected to the APC, recently, headline legislators who will not return. He was disqualified during screening by the APC hierarchy.
Former LP federal lawmakers, who defected to the APC only to lose their re-election tickets in the APC primaries include: Esosa Iyawe, who lost Oredo Federal Constituency, Edo State to Dr. Paddy Iyamu; Senator Neda Imasuen, Edo South; Tochukwu Okere (Imo); Bassey Akiba (Cross River), and Daulyop Fom (Plateau) among others.
APC Senators, who will not return on account of losing the primaries, withdrawing or stepping down include Senators Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East); Diket Plang (Plateau Central); Osita Izunaso (Imo West); Emmanuel Udende (Benue North-East); Titus Zam (Benue West); Olubiyi Fadeyi (Osun Central).
Others include Saliu Mustapha (Kwara) and Ned Nwoko (Delta North).
Currently, subject to ratification of the APC hierarchy, no fewer than 58 Reps and 12 senators won’t return as they cannot pursue their aspirations on another platform because of the new Electoral Act and guidelines. Parties’ submission of membership registers lapsed May 10.
Protests, complaints
Also, protests and complaints are hallmarking the outcome of the primaries across the country as the APC prepares for tomorrow’s governorship primaries with many aspirants kicking.
Indeed, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN, representing Ondo Central, narrowly escaped harm after armed thugs attacked him and his supporters at his polling unit during the exercise.
This was as the party tongue-lashed primaries supervising committees for announcing results without recourse to the National Secretariat.
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