A direct mode of primary slated for April 14 would be adopted to determine the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kogi.

The party informed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision in a letter dated April 6.

The letter, signed by the party’s acting national chairman, Abubakar Kyari, and made available to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, followed an earlier one to the commission dated January 25.

“We refer to our earlier letter dated January 25, 2023, with reference no: APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/023/191.

“Wherein we notified the commission of the mode of the primary election for the conduct of the Gubernatorial Primary Election in Kogi.

“However, our great party, the APC, has reviewed the modalities for the conduct of the gubernatorial primary election in Kogi.

“And has, therefore, resorted to adopting the direct mode of the primary election instead of the indirect mode as earlier communicated,” the letter read in part.

According to the letter, there would be a special congress to ratify the candidate with the highest number of votes at the primary election in the state scheduled for Saturday, April 15.

On Wednesday, the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court nullified the Kogi APC delegate list to nominate a governorship candidate for the party.

Justice James Omotosho, while delivering judgement, voided the party’s ward and local government congresses conducted on February 7 in Kogi, saying they were not conducted in compliance with the 2022 Electoral Act and the APC constitution.

However, stakeholders of the party across the country had said the judgement was only an academic exercise as the party had already decided to adopt the direct mode.

The Kogi governor election had been fixed for November 11 by INEC.

(NAN)