Politics
Double Jeopardy For Suspended REC As APC Bars Him From Bayelsa Guber
By Emmanuel Aziken
It was double jeopardy for the suspended Cross River Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr. Frankland Briayi as he was on Tuesday disqualified from the All Progressives Congress, APC’s governorship contest in Bayelsa State.
Briayi had in early August caused national attention when he resigned his position as REC and immediately signaled his intention to contest the governorship election on the platform of the APC.
The national leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC immediately condemned his action saying that his resignation on television was not recognized and that he could only resign his position through a letter to the president.
The INEC as such suspended him and passed on responsibilities for the office to the administrative secretary of the commission in Cross River.
The end of the road came for the suspended REC on Tuesday as the APC’s screening committee ruled him ineligible for participation in the contest on the claim that he had not been a party member for one year.
| No | NAME | REMARK |
| 1 | Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri | Cleared |
| 2 | Diseye Nsirim-Poweigha | Cleared |
| 3 | Mr. Preye Aganaba | Cleared |
| 4 | Mr. David Lyon Pereworimini | Cleared |
| 5 | Mr. Ebitimi Amgbare | Cleared |
| 6 | Engr. Ongoebi Maureen Etebu | Cleared |
| 7 | Dr. Frankland Briayi | Not Cleared |
The other six aspirants, however, successfully scaled through the screening.
Those who passed the screening were the immediate past Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; a former Commissioner of Police, Diseye Nsirim-Poweigha; Mr. Preye Aganaba; Mr. David Lyon Pereworimini, Engr. Ongoebi Maureen Etebu and Mr. Ebitimi Amgbare.
The report as addressed to the national chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole read in part:
“Each aspirant was asked questions relating to qualifications and conduct in line with both party constitution and election guidelines to contest for the governorship primary election under the platform of the APC.
“We also asked them to produce evidence of membership of the party, voters card and payment of the prescribed fees as well as the original copy of their credentials for sighting. The screening committee was empowered to screen aspirants for the governorship election for Bayelsa.”
Continuing, the report read: “one of the modalities adopted was the balloting of Nos 1 -7 which was picked by each aspirant to determine the order for which they were called to appear before the Committee.
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