The All Progressives Congress on Tuesday held its final campaign ahead of Saturday’s Bayelsa State governorship election. At the event, which took place at the Ox-Bow Lake Pavilion in Yenagoa, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, was recognised by APC leaders at the rally as the deputy governorship candidate of the party despite being disqualified by an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court earlier on Tuesday.
In its ruling, the court agreed with the Peoples Democratic Party that Degi-Eremienyo provided conflicting information in the documents he submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission and disqualified him from the polls. Meanwhile, about 20 other parties, represented by Williams Ifidi adopted the APC candidate David Lyon for as their sole candidate for Saturday’s contest. Two prominent leaders of the party who took part in the primary poll, Heineken Lokpobiri and Preye Aganaba – were absent from the campaign.
The National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole; and the Governor of Kebbi State and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, Atiku Bagudu, were among those who addressed Degi-Eremienyo as Lyon’s running mate at the event. Oshiomhole, who presented Lyon and Degi-Eremienyo to the crowd, expressed hope that Lyon would emerge victorious at the polls.
He advised Governor Seriake Dickson against resorting to violence in his quest to ensure victory for the ruling PDP.