APC opts for direct primaries allowing party members to decide who their candidates will be

NIGERIA'S ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that it will adopt the use of direct primaries to select its candidates for all of next year’s elections contrary to earlier reports that it had opted for the indirect mode of selection.

Earlier this month, after a meeting of the APC's national executive committee (NEC) in Abuja, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State said they agreed to only use direct primaries to pick the party's presidential candidate, while indirect primaries will be used to select all other candidates. However, yesterday, Yekini Nabena, the APC's acting publicity secretary, said the NEC had actually resolved to use direct primaries in all cases buy will allow states who prefer indirect primaries to convene a stakeholders meeting and agree on it.

Mr Nabena said: “The 30th August, 2018 resolution of the APC NEC on the mode of primary elections has been subject to inference and misleading interpretations. As an update to the earlier released statement, we wish to make the following clarifications on NEC’s resolutions on mode of primary election:

[1] Primary elections into all elective offices shall be by direct primaries.

[2] NEC resolved to adopt direct primaries for the nomination of the presidential candidate and all other primaries.

[3] The party’s constitution though provides for indirect election and consensus, however, the use of indirect primaries is conditional and dependent on logistic impediments, peculiarities and need of a given state that makes it unable to use direct primaries.

[3] The State Executive Committee (SEC) shall in consultation with aspirants and other critical stakeholders of the party in a given state forward for the consideration and approval by the National Working Committee (NWC) if indirect primary is to be adopted. The adopted mode shall now be applied to all categories of the party’s primary elections i.e. state assembly, Senate, House of Representatives and for the governorship elections.

[4] The request for indirect primaries must be signed by majority of the State Executive Committee and critical stakeholders in attendance at the meeting where such resolution is reached.

 “Direct Primaries will, among others, ensure fairness, create a level playing ground for contestants, eliminate corrupt tendencies usually associated with the delegates system and ultimately ensure full participation of party members at all levels.”

APC governors and state party chairmen are strongly in favour of indirect primaries which confer on them tremendous influence to determine who gets nominated. However, a majority of the party’s legislators, particularly those who are not in the good books of their governors, are rooting for direct primaries.