APC disqualifies ex-REC who joined Bayelsa guber race

Frankland Briyai,former resident electoral commissioner (REC) of Cross River state, has been disqualified from participating in the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary in Bayelsa state.

The APC screening committee said Briyai was disqualified for not meeting specific criteria for participating in the primary election.

In its report forwarded to the party’s leadership, the committee said the former REC was not a card-carrying member of the party for a period of one year.

On August 8, Briyai resigned as Cross River REC to join politics.

He said he would contest the Bayelsa governorship poll — coming up in November — under the platform of the APC.

But the committee headed by Isa Song said the party’s guidelines requires governorship aspirants to be active party members for not less than one year.

“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”, the committee said in the report.

“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’

“Therefore, Dr. Briyai Frank land was not cleared and disqualified on the ground of Section 3 paragraph ‘L’ of the guideline for nomination of candidates”.

It listed cleared aspirants to include Preys Aganaba, Heineken Lokpobiri, Ebitimi Amgbare, Diseye Poweigha, Lyon David, and Ongoebi Etebu.

INEC had earlier faulted the resignation of Briyari, saying it did not follow due process.