The Bayelsa High Court on Wednesday granted an order restraining the National Executive Committee(NEC) of All Progressives Congress (APC) from adopting direct primary in selecting the party’s flag-bearer for Nov.16 governorship elections in the state.
According to the order of interim injunction made by Justice E.G Umokoro , the party’s NEC should refrain from applying direct primaries for the forthcoming exercise pending the determination of the substantive suit filed by some party stakeholders.
Messrs Japan Christopher, Evinson Olotu , Oddu Onyimiebi and Onyimiebi Isaih took the National Chairman of APC and 23 members of his executive and Bayelsa chapter executives to court over the decision to use direct primary for the Bayelsa governorship polls, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The judge also ordered for an accelerated hearing of the substantive suit and abridged the time frame for the respondents to file their response and counter affidavit to seven days given the timeliness of the matter.
The APC on Aug. 24 screened the immediate past Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri.
Others who were screened by the Mr Ita Isong-led National Screening Committee include a former female Commissioner of Police, Deseye Poweigha, Ebitimi Amgbare, David Lyon and Preye Aganaba