Human Rights activist Festus Keyamo’s foray into politics may have been put on hold, at least for the moment.

The Lagos-based lawyer has withdrawn from the primaries of the Delta central senatorial bye-election, describing the exercise as stage-managed and a sham.

Mr Keyamo, who is running on the platform of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), alleges that the process was being rigged in favour of his opponent Otega Emerhor.

In a letter to the APC’s bye-election committee in delta state, Mr Keyamo listed several grievances including the hijack of election materials by thugs loyal to his opponent.

He also accused the APC committee members of openly conniving with his opponent to perpetrate fraud.

Mr Keyamo’s statement reads in part “I boldly say that any result that comes out of today’s exercise will be a colossal fraud and waste of time. This is a notice that no vote should be cast or counted in my favour in the stage-managed process”

It will be recalled that the acting National Vice Chairman (South-South) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tom Ikimi denied the adoption of human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo as the senatorial candidate of the party for the Delta central senatorial seat.

Mr. Ikimi was speaking in the Edo state capital, Benin City, that neither the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor the Senate has declared the seat vacant following the death of Senator Pius Ewherido.

He explained that the organ of the APC in Delta state at the moment is the interim national executive committee and the party is still in the process of putting in place state harmonising committees there.