Twenty-five governorship aspirants are to appear before the screening committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the party’s gubernatorial primary for Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states off-session elections.

It was also learnt that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party at its last week meeting adjusted the timetable and shifted the primary elections from the 10th to the 14th of April, 2023.

The shift became necessary as the earlier date falls on Easter Monday, hence the shift by four days.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed the governorship elections in the three states for 11th November 2023.

The screening exercise is slated for tomorrow, Thursday through Sunday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

The Nation investigation showed that Kogi State accounted for the highest number of aspirants. It has 18 aspirants, while six aspirants are to slug it out for the party’s ticket in Bayelsa state.

Checks in the Directorate of Organisation of the party in Abuja showed that the second term bid of Governor Hope Obidika Uzordima of Imo State seems sealed as he is the only aspirant that picked the party’s governorship expression of interest and nomination forms for the party’s ticket ahead of the November 11 Imo State governorship election.

For Bayelsa State, six aspirants picked and submitted an expression of Interest and nomination forms. They include the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipreye Silva, who will be slugging it out for the party’s ticket with his former protege and 2019 governor-elect, Chief David Pereworimini Lyon.

Also on tbe ballot for the April 14 party primary are Ogbomade Isikima Johnson,Prof. Ongoebi Etebu Maureen, Festus Daumiebi Sunday and Joshua Maciver.

Top on the list of Kogi State aspirants is the deputy governor of the state,Edward David Onoja, Secretary to the APC Presidential Campaign Council Secretary, Hon. James Faleke, current Senator representing Kogi West and former National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Senator Smart Adeyemi and Abdulkareem Asuku, the Chief of Staff to Governor Yahaya Bello.

Others jostling for the Kogi APC ticket are Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, son of the former Gov. Abubakar Audu, Prince Shauibu Abubakar Audu,Sanusi Ohiare, former Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barr. Salami Momodu O. Deedat and Usman Ododo, Auditor General, Local Government.

Also on the primary ballot is the Chairman Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Crime, Senator Oseni Yakubu, Halima l. Alfa, Momoh Jibrin, Alh. Yusuf Yakubu Okala, Hon. Asiru Idris, Prof. Stephen Ikani Ocheni, Abubakar Yahaya Achimugu,Idachaba Friday and David A. Jimoh.

The schedule of activities and timetable for the three governorship elections showed a screening of aspirants is slated for 24th – 26th March, names of cleared aspirants will be published on Tuesday 28th March, while the screening appeal takes place on Wednesday 29th March 2023.

The governorship primaries of the three states are billed to hold on the 14th of April 2023. (The Nation)