By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

The camps of Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and fellow incumbents in Bayelsa, Adamawa and Sokoto states are at peace with the order for fresh primaries by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the rescheduled gubernatorial polls in the affected six states.

However, the case is different in Kogi and Edo states, where the incumbent governors are not affected by the PDP order for fresh primaries. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State is flying the ticket of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had, last weekend, ordered fresh gubernatorial primaries in six states: December 3 (Kogi); January 14, 2012 (Adamawa); February 11 (Bayelsa); March 10 (Sokoto), April 14 (Cross River); and July 14 (Edo).

Sources in the four states with governors re-contesting disclosed calmness in their camps with the governors set to retain the ticket they had earlier won before the gubernatorial elections were rescheduled earlier this year.

Abang seeks ACN’s ticket in C/River

The only contention against Imoke is Chief Sonny Abang, Nigeria’s outgoing Ambassador to Mali who is himself the immediate past chairman of the party in the state.

Despite reports of Abang’s intention to contest the ticket with the incumbent, sources close to Imoke, yesterday, dismissed the contention as a little bother to the Imoke camp as they expressed optimism of an easy victory in the primaries.

Abang is, however, expected to seek the ticket of the rival ACN to contest against his one-time political soul mate, Imoke.

In Adamawa State the only contention against Governor Murtala Nyako is expected to be Dr. Umar Ardo a close political associate of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Ardo served as the erstwhile Vice-President’s Special Assistant. His aim is now said to be weakened by the reported rapprochement between Atiku and Nyako.

In Baylesa State, Governor Timipre Sylva is equally reported to be in the comfort zone with no apparent challenger within the PDP.

Heating up in Kogi

The heat is, however, on the erstwhile PDP flag bearer in Kogi, Alhaji Jibrin Isa follo-wing the PDP order for a fresh primary. More contenders are challenging him for the ticket which he had clinched last January with the alleged support of Governor Ibrahim Idris.

Idris, who is serving his second term is constitutionally barred from contesting.

Once the PDP order for fresh primaries were released, weekend, interested contestants for the ticket in Kogi State started pasting their posters across the state.

Among those vying for the PDP ticket include an erstwhile aide of Atiku and former Managing Director of Daily Times, Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo; the Newswatch journalist, Yakubu Mohammed; Dr. Jacob Abdullahi, the Managing Director of Winners Diagnostic Labora-tories; Yusuf Obaje, the former Chaplain of the Presidential Villa Chapel and a former Army officer, Col. Ahmed Usman.