Guber primaries: APC assures aspirants, stakeholders of free, fair elections in Bayelsa

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, electoral committee for the gubernatorial primary in Bayelsa State, Maj. Gen. A.T Jubrin, on Thursday, assured stakeholders of the party of its readiness to conduct transparent primary elections according to the party’s guidelines.

The Chairman gave the assurance while briefing newsmen on Thursday evening at the party’s headquarters in Yenagoa, the state capital, after a meeting with all guber aspirants and stakeholders of the party.

It was gathered that all six gubernatorial aspirants seeking to become the flag bearer of the party were cleared and in attendance at the meeting.

Gen. Jubrin, who stated that the mode of the election would be option A4, maintained that his committee would strictly follow all procedures as provided by the party guidelines in the conduct of the exercise.

He said, “We had a stakeholders meeting, we explained to them the modalities of the conduct of the primaries election. We also met with all the security agencies in the state to inform them of the exercise, and we were assured of adequate security.

“It will be option A4 mode, in all the 105 wards in the 8 Local Government Areas of the state, after which it will be collated by the relevant Presiding Officers and taken to the Local Government headquarters where the second stage of collation is done before finally brought to the state headquarters in Yenagoa for further compilation and announcement of results.

“We will also have an affirmation exercise which will take place on Saturday, where five members from each of the 105 wards will affirm the exercise.

“Those to participate are members of the party whose names are on the register of the party. Accreditation will be done through their registration slip as party members, and those with PVCs are with an added advantage.

“We have put in all measures to ensure a free and fair exercise, a compilation of the voters register based on our party register. Registration identity cards, and slips will be presented for accreditation. We have visited all the security to solicit their support, met with INEC, and got advice from them to act within the guideline of the party. We also had the stakeholders meeting with all aspirants and their agents.

“One of their doubts was on those who are going to conduct the elections at the ward level, and we explained how the persons were chosen.”