The All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently holding its rescheduled governorship primary at the Damlek Event Centre, Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, amidst tight security.
Chairman of the electoral committee for the primary, Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, had earlier promised tight security at the venue to prevent a recurrence of the violence that disrupted the primary on Saturday last week.
Governor Al-Makura had been forced to cancel the initial primary last week after suspected thugs disrupted the keenly contested exercise, destroying ballot boxes and electoral materials.
As of last Saturday, 33 people were in the race for the governorship ticket of the APC as the party battles to seize power in the state, four years after Governor Ayodele Fayose took power under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Governor Al-Makura and some members of the APC including one of the aspirants, Mr Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of the state, condemned the violence.
Fayemi who is also the Minister of Mines and Steel Development blamed the violence on desperation by some aspirants.
Following the cancellation of the primary, and consultations by APC leaders and the aspirants, the party fixed Friday, May 11 for the primary.
On Thursday, the party shifted the primary by a day to Saturday after further consultations between the APC National Working Committee (NWC), aspirants and other stakeholders, its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, said in a statement.
Also on Thursday, one of the aspirants Senator Babafemi Ojudu, withdrew from the race.
