September 03, (THEWILL) – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has begun its preparation for the three off-cycle governorship elections coming up in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa States on November 11, 2023, by setting up the campaign councils.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final candidates list in the elections, which shows that all the 18 political parties are fielding candidates in Kogi State, 17 in Imo State and 16 in Bayelsa State. The list also shows that two political parties are fielding female candidates in Bayelsa State, one in Kogi State and none in Imo State.
According to the INEC Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the three elections, campaign officially commenced on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, in line with Section 94(1) of the Electoral Act 2022 and ends on November 9, 2023 i.e. 24 hours prior to Election Day.
The delay in setting up the campaign councils by the APC may not be unconnected with the resignation of its National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
Both Adamu and Omisore were replaced a few weeks ago by former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Ajibola Bashiru who was the former Senate Spokesperson at the end of a National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
The Campaign Councils, which were set up last Tuesday by the Party at its headquarter in Abuja, has the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, as the Chairman of the Bayelsa Campaign Council; Cross River State Governor, Bassey Out, will chair the 138-member Imo Campaign Council, while Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state will chair a 135-member council for Kogi.
The three Co-Chairmen for Kogi are Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos); Governor Umar Bago of Niger and Governor Uba Sani (Kaduna).
Imo has Ebonyi Governor, Francis Nwifuru; Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, and the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, as Co-Chairmen.
Bayelsa has Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, as Co-Chairmen.
The party had last April elected Timpriye Sylva as its governorship candidate, having defeated the former candidate of the party in the last governorship election, Mr David Lyon and four other aspirants to emerge winner of contest, which took place across the 106 wards in the eight local government areas (LGAs) of the state.
In Kogi State, the APC governorship flagbearer is Usman Ododo. Ododo, an ex-Auditor-General of Local Government in Kogi state, had emerged as winner of the party’s primary election conducted in the state on April 14.
The special congress, presided over by the Chairman of the Kogi APC Primary Election Committee, Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State, was held at the Muhammadu Buhari Civic Centre, in Lokoja, the state capital.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State won the APC governorship primary election in the state.
Uzodimma was the sole contender in the primary that took place in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
These candidates have been cress-crossing the length and breadth of their states doing consultations and house to house campaigns.
THEWILL recalls that Abdullahi Ganduje had, after his swearing -in as national chairman promised to work assiduously in ensuring the party’s victory in the November 11, 2023 governorship polls in Imo, Kogi, and Bayelsa.
He said, “Let me also use this opportunity to call on all members of the party and all the people of Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa states to close ranks to ensure the APC wins the forthcoming governorship elections.
“As we move forward, let me assure you that as National Chairman, I will deal with integrity, transparency, and a deep sense of responsibility. Let us work tirelessly, together to build bridges of understanding and chart a course for a great APC…”
Ganduje, who recently emerged as the chairman of the party following the exit of his predecessor, Abdullahi Adamu, is facing his first litmus test in office in the coming elections.
The ruling party is seeking to hold on to Imo State where the Chairman of the PGF, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, is facing re-election.
Similarly, the party seeks to retain the governorship seat in Kogi State as the tenure of Governor Yahaya Bello is coming to an end, it is striving to ensure Ododo, his candidate in the election, takes over from Bello.
The ruling party is also seeking to take back Bayelsa State after it lost it following another controversial court ruling that sacked David Lyon, the candidate of the APC. But in this election cycle, the party is fielding former Governor Timipre Sylva.
Also as part of preparation for the off-circle governorship elections, the APC Governors penultimate Thursday met with the National Chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, in Abuja.
The governors, under the aegis of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), met with the former Kano State governor behind closed doors to discuss the winning strategy of the party.
Speaking on the meeting, the Chairman of the PGF, Uzodimma said, “The Progressives Governors Forum is like a family. We are the family of the largest party in Africa. We used the opportunity to listen to our national party chairman, who came to brief us on the activities of the party and the proposed reforms he intends to carry out in the party,” he said.
The setting up of the campaign councils by the APC also came on the heel of the INEC launching of a portal for the recruitment of ad hoc staff for the 2023 off-cycle governorship elections.
In a notice, the electoral umpire said the portal for applications opens at 8am on August 31 and will close at 12am on October 2.
INEC said that applicants must not be political party members and must not have demonstrated or expressed support for any candidate or party.
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
