APC Gov's with Buhari. |
Ahead
of the primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the governors and
state chairmen are opposed to direct primaries – the party’s antidote against
the imposition of candidates. They prefer indirect primaries.
Key
stakeholders in the party, including some leaders and members of the National
Assembly, have opted for the direct primary because, in their view, it will
give members a say on the choice of their representatives.
There
were fears that the desire for indirect primaries by the governors was designed
to give them “total” control and to determine those who will be candidates for
various elective posts.
In an
August 17 letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the
APC only indicated that it might adopt an indirect or direct system for the
presidential primary on September 19.
The
governors and the state chairmen are said to have communicated their preference
for indirect primary to National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole.
The
chairman and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) have however left
the final decision to the National Executive Committee (NEC), which will meet
on Thursday in Abuja.
A
source in the party, who spoke in confidence, said: “There is a fresh challenge
in the party because the governors are opposed to direct primaries. Some of
them seeking the second term in office want indirect primaries to make it
easier to get the ticket.
“A
few others completing the second term prefer indirect primaries to be able to
impose their favourites as candidates for various elective offices.
“The
governors, who have influenced state chairmen of the party, are claiming that
the time is too short for direct primaries. They are also nursing fears that
direct primaries could lead to crises, including violent primaries.”
It
was however learnt that many senators, members of the House of Representatives
and Houses of Assembly and governorship aspirants are worried that the
governors have been scheming for indirect primaries “to hijack the process.”
A
senator said: “The governors are out to seize the process and give tickets to
their cronies. To get quality candidates for 2019 polls, we have to check these
governors who want to determine those to be APC flag bearers.
“Most
leaders of the party have opted for direct primaries in view of the huge
success the model recorded in Osun State.
“Popular
candidates were not given the opportunity to emerge in the past because the
indirect primaries were turned to merchandise.
“Like
the leadership of the party said, it will ensure participation of all
registered members. It will be a departure of what obtained in the past, which
was monetised.
“We
will resist any plot by the governors to insist on indirect primaries. We
learnt that they have forced the state chairmen to adopt indirect primaries.”
APC
Acting National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena said: “All these issues will
be tabled at the NEC meeting. Why not wait till after the meeting on Thursday?”
Oshiomhole
on July 17 highlighted the benefits of direct primaries. He said: “We have
decided that in order to ensure popular participation, and to deepen democracy
in Osun State, in-line with the provision of our party constitution, which
allows for either direct or indirect primary, we have resolved that the
governorship election primary in Osun State will be conducted on the basis of
direct primary.
“What
that means is that every card-carrying member of our party will participate in
the process of nominating the flag bearer of the party. This, for us, is the
most democratic way to conduct an election and is in line with what our
critical stakeholders from that part of the country want and we are quite happy
to oblige.”
Oshiomhole
said the direct option was to allow more party members to “participate in the
process of nominating candidates and to remove issues of corruption or
monetising the processes.”
He
said direct primary would also “give party members a sense of ownership of the
outcome of the exercise”.
Culled from Porsche Media.
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