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Tag: direct primary

  • Group hails Tinubu for direct primary

    Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard has praised the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for leading a resolution to elect candidates through direct primary.

    Its state Coordinator, Seyi Bamigbade, said this while addressing thousands of youths calling for the re-election of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    Bamigbade said the resolution will expand egalitarianism and give more people sense of belonging which the Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko Vanguard has been canvassing.

    Seyi thanked the youths for support the re-election

    He urged them to register as APC members so that they can partake in the direct primaries.

    “We equally urged our members to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) before the expiration of registration deadline.

    Member, Lagos State House of Assembly Segun Olulade, who represented Ambode, urged the people not to abandon their civic responsibility by collecting their PVC, adding that it is their civic right as citizens.

    “Without your PVC, you are powerless. Without your PVC, you can only complain, you cannot contribute. That is why we are calling on everybody to get their PVC so that we can give Ambode five million votes next year.”

  • Lagos APC for direct primary

    •Tinubu knocks defectors

    Candidates for next year’s election will be picked through direct primary, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has decided.

    Leaders of the party adopted the model at a “stakeholders consultative meeting” at the party secretariat yesterday.

    Giving the advantage of the system, which was adopted to pick the candidate of the party for the September 22 Osun State goverborship election, APC stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said it was a way of rekindling internal democracy within the fold, “because with this the party has gone back to its owners: the people”.

    Direct primary is a system in which all card carrying members of the party will participate in voting to pick candidates rather than leave the process for delegates.

    Tinubu who spoke at the consultative meeting, said the chapter would embark on a fresh membership drive with the registration of new members and that it would also ensure that all existing members were issued with identity cards to enable them participate in the primaries.

    Tinubu, who spoke most of the time in Yoruba, said intending members could do their pre-registration online. He enjoined council chairmen to ensure that the exercise is seamless; adding that those that register more members and ensure that more Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) are collected within their domain would be rewarded with a fresh tenure.

    Alluding to the fact that officers shouldered with the responsibility might want to collect bribe before doing their job, he said: “If we don’t register more members, how can we elect the governor, our lawmakers and the President in next year’s general elections?”

    The APC stalwart assured members that the Lagos State chapter would have free and fair primaries ahead of 2019 and that there would be no favouratism. He said: “It is APC members that will decide who will represent them: you will do this with your vote.”

    He also indicated that all aspirants for elective positions and members who intend to take part in the primaries must possess their membership cards and their PVCs, adding that the registration drive would enable defectors who joined the party from other platforms to enlist in the APC in their constituencies.

    Tinubu described the noise about defections in recent times as unnecessary distraction, because the defections would not affect the fortunes of the party in the general election. He described those who defected as saboteurs.

    The former Lagos State governor said the victory of party’s candidates in by-elections in Bauchi, Kogi, Katsina and the Ekiti governorship election are indications that the party was still solid. He said the party would record another victory in Osun State next month because he has confidence in Governor Rauf Aregbesola who laid a solid foundation for the state. “We have seen the good work he is doing in Osun,” he added.

    Tinubu took a swipe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for saying Nigerians should not support President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election bid, saying the former president did not utilize the eight years he spent in power to lay a solid foundation for Nigeria.

    He said foundation is crucial to any building and that it was the foundation his team laid during his tenure that made it possible for former Governor Babatunde Fashola and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to succeed.

    He added that if Obasanjo had laid a good foundation in Abuja, Nigeria would not be in such a deplorable state. “He did not lay a good foundation and he is accussing President Buhari of performing below par.”

    The APC National Leader commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo’s decisiveness in dealing with the invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the DSS, adding that Osinbajo’s action saved the party from embarrassment.

    Tinubu said the APC is still steadfastly committed to President Buhari’s ability to change Nigeria for the better. He said members knew from the outset that fighting corruption would not be an easy task, because it will fight. “But we were not deterred,” he said.

    Tinubu also dismissed the insinuation that the party is divided in the State, saying there is nothing of such, and that the party is intact.

    He said: “We reiterate the fact that APC in Lagos State is intact. There is no division. I’ve heard some people conspiring to present a situation of division in the party in Lagos but let me assure you that it is just the coming together of adversaries which will have no effect on the party.”

    Governor Ambode lauded Asiwaju Tinubu for his contributions towards deepening of democracy in the country. He added: “What we have just witnessed in the last 30 minutes is the upliftment of democracy in Nigeria. This is a silent revolution and we thank Asiwaju for his commitment in the quest to build a better Nigeria. This means each member of the party will contribute his quota to determine who will represent them.”

    The chapter passed a vote of confidence on the leadership of the National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole with a voice vote, after Lagos APC Chairman Mr. Tunde Balogun, tabled the motion.

  • ‘Oyetola’s victory, large participation justify direct primary’

    A former governorship aspirant in Osun State All Progressives Congress (APC), Elder Samuel Ibiyemi, has said  large participation of registered party members worked for the victory of Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola as the candidate for September 22 governorship election.

    He noted that it also justified the adoption of direct primary by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) as a strategy to deepen democracy.

    Ibiyemi, who stepped down for Oyetola few days to the primary, was reacting to the victory of the APC stalwart in last week’s primary.

    He said: “The huge figure recorded by Oyetola above all other aspirants exposed his quality as the best person to win the September 22 governorship election with the support of all members to build on milestones of our governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.”

    The APC chieftain urged party leaders to work with Oyetola for his victory at the poll.

    Ibiyemi said: “The victory on September 22 is assured but requires the deployment of all available resources by members and leaders of APC to convince the electorate that only APC can operate a people-oriented government.”

     

  • Centre advocates direct primary for parties

    The OlaOni Centre for Social Research in collaboration, with Coalition of Civil Societies in Osun State, has advised political parties in the country to embrace direct primary in electing their aspirants for political offices. The centre said direct primary, no doubt, will improve internal democracy of party politics. Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the Director-General of the Centre, Comrade Wale Adebisi, on behalf of other conveners, namely Amitolu Shittu and Waheed Lawal, said direct primary election will “gradually reduce the issue of financial inducement during elections.”

    “We keenly observed the conduct of the APC primary on Friday July 20 across Osun that from all variables and indices available to us on the field the direct primary is actually the best so as to encourage internal all inclusive democracy because every party member is involved. The method eliminates the emerging trend where aspirants camped delegates and bribe each with huge amount of money. It also eliminates manipulation to a large extent because all you need to do is to line up behind your candidate and the numbers will be counted in the presence of all including the agents of each candidate.

    “It also reduces infra party wrangling or violence at the voting centre. However, there is no system without its own flaws; the new system of direct primary being the first time to be introduced into the system for usage have its own drawback. This is noticeable in the area of timing for the exercise to commence, movement of materials to the voting centers and shortage of personnel for the late exercise. Although these anomalies were corrected before the end of voting but there is the need for perfection of this process in the future election,” he said.

     

  • Tinubu: Direct primary’ll deepen democracy

    All Progressives Congress stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has hailed the direct primary option to pick the party’s governorship candidate in Osun state.

    He described the decision of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to approve direct primary as historic and capable of deepening democracy.

    He said: “The decision of the National Working Committee approving a direct primary to elect the party’s candidate for Osun election is a ground-breaking step toward achieving this fine objective. By this decision, the party affirms its democratic inclinations.

    “When the history of this moment is written, those looking back on this decision will say that it was an inevitable natural consequence of party evolution.”

    In a statement by his media office, Tinubu said the party’s constitution allows the use of both indirect (delegate system) and direct (participation of all card-carrying party members) in picking a candidate.

    The former Lagos State governor described the direct primary as more democratic.

    He said: “When the history of this moment is written, those looking back on this decision will say that it was an inevitable natural consequence of party evolution.”

    The statement entitled ‘Internal Democracy: Improving the Nomination Process’ said: “From its inception, our party has held to principles of internal democracy and, by the open and fair conduct of our conventions, we have distinguished ourselves from all other political parties. While we have achieved more than others with regard to internal democracy, there is still more to be done in order to perfect our internal procedures and mechanisms.

    “This consideration was a key factor in the election of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as party chairman. Core to that mandate is the improvement of democracy within the party so that we may become even better representatives of the people.

    “However, I know differently. This decision took courage and conviction because it bucked the old ways in order to bring about something better and new. Comrade (Adams) Oshiomhole deserves commendation for leading the party toward greater democracy, which means increased participation of all party members in key decisions that affect them.

    “The involvement of all APC members in candidate nomination will ensure that the party chooses the candidate of the people. It will also serve to galvanize the party membership for the general election that lies ahead.

    “Moreover, direct primaries will serve as a future deterrent to those who might have tried to corrupt the delegate system of obtaining nominations. With that system, the temptation to ‘buy’ delegates was an ever-present weakness.  Now, such a venal undertaking will prove much too costly and uncertain to be entertained as feasible strategy.

    “I am sure party members in Osun welcome this decision for it shines the rays of democracy more fully upon them. May this decision not be peculiar to Osun but stand as the new way of our party. The nation and the APC will both be better for it”.

  • Osun APC: A case for direct primary

    There is an argument on how best to pick the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer for the September 22, 2018 Osun State governorship election. In this article, Ibidapo Balogun, an Abuja-based public affairs analyst, is recommending direct primary. Such process, he submits, produce the best candidate.

    Party primaries offer a unique opportunity for party members to critically examine aspirants for public office within its fold in order to make informed decisions as to which of them to sponsor for what office.

    It helps a political party assess itself, subject its aspirants to scrutiny with a view to ensuring that only the best are put forward for elections. It is akin to a test before the final examination. That test must be ideal in order to throw up high-quality candidates. If wrong people are sponsored for offices, the parties would pay for such on the day of reckoning, on Election Day.

    As such, the process is as important as the primary election. In fact, the nomination process, the modality employed in picking the candidates, makes the primary election itself. If the wrong process is employed, it may invariably throw up wrong candidates for the poll.

    This is why the importance of the process can hardly be over stressed in leadership recruitment. The controversy in some quarters over the propriety or otherwise of direct primaries is therefore dismaying. It is an unnecessary debate, in my view. Direct primaries can hardly be faulted whichever way you view it. But in our clime, the delegate system holds sway within the political parties. It has become the order of the day. And not a few are worried about this seeming debauchery, which has only helped to corrupt the party nomination process, giving the prized tickets to the highest bidders in most cases.

    Evidently, that method is undemocratic, because it leaves a large chunk of party members out of the critical decision on the choice of candidates. A dangerous development associated with the delegates system is that nothing is considered odd in an attempt to get the delegates to toe the lines of their sponsors, even the unusual and the unorthodox.

    There are stories of how delegates were made to swear on oaths in some evil forests in order to spiritually bind them to vote in a particular way. It is clear that those stridently opposing the use of direct primaries particularly in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are pursuing narrow personal agendas.

    But, the agitation to get the party to do the right thing, by returning the decision on the choice of candidates back to the people, the party members, has since begun. It started during the time of the immediate-past chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun. That leadership had argued, however, that it was too late then to revert to direct primaries. Too late to do that which is right and democratic, many may enquire?

    The time to do what is right, which will restore credibility to the party’s nomination process, is now. And it should start with the Osun APC governorship primaries. Expectedly, the nay-sayers have gone to work. There were reports in some newspapers at the weekend about some stalwarts moving to cause disquiet within the party in Osun over the mode of primary election to employ in picking its candidate for the September 22, 2018, governorship poll.

    The party’s constitution provides for both direct and indirect primaries. But, it’s the direct primaries model that is in synch with the democratic tenet of the party. You may argue that it may create management problem as it may tend to be unwieldy, but will the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that conducts election across parties and across the country say. The agitation against direct primaries is therefore neither in the interest of the party, nor the interest of democracy, nor in the interest of the party members. In fact, it is antithetical to all of them.

    On the contrary, however, evidence abounded of how direct primaries helped candidates, believed to enjoy popular support, from being oppressed by party overlords in the nomination process. Direct primary option ensures a level-playing field and protects the nomination process from being hijacked by over-zealous party chieftains and desperate money bags.

    Osun chapter is a veritable place to re-set the nomination process button. The same system was used in picking incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s candidate during his re-election in 2014.  What began in 2014, therefore, should be continued. It should be taken beyond Ekiti. It is more participatory and gives all registered members of the party the opportunity to participate in the process. What is more, it is the best avenue for the party to assess its strength going into a general election, as it gives a fair idea of the party’s membership standing.

    The interesting thing, however, is only a few are opposed to direct primaries, even in the Osun State. Again, the beautiful thing is the final decision on the matter, within the APC, ultimately rests with the party’s NEC through the National Working Committee. And a new Sheriff, who believes in fairness and transparency, is in town. The jury is out. Will the APC (National Working Committee (NWC) do the right thing and return the nomination process to the path of rectitude?

  • Party settles for direct primary

    BARRING any last minute change, the All Progressives Congress (APC) will on Thursday pick its standard bearer for the Osun State governorship election through direct primaries, it was learnt yesterday.

    The process will give all members the opportunity of participating in the selection of the party’s candidate for the September 22 election, APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole said.

    Speaking after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) in Abuja, Oshiomhole said the party’s constitution allowed for the conduct of the exercise, either through direct or indirect primary.

    He said the use of direct primary would prevent the corruption and monetisation of the process.

    Besieds, it will give every member a sense of ownership of the outcome of the exercise, Oshiomhole said, adding that stakeholders of the party in the Southwest and Osun State were disposed to the option.

    He said: “Just as we are celebrating Ekiti, we have commenced the process of organising the primary election in Osun State. We have gone through the screening exercise of the 17 aspirants who obtained nomination form and they have been cleared to contest the primary.

    “We are impressed that the 17 of them are competent enough to effectively govern the state and that we don’t lack competent hands to provide leadership in Osun State after the exit of Rauf Aregbesola.

    “Over the next couple of days, we will do everything we can to ensure that those that have cleared recognize that even though they have been cleared, we only need one of them to fly the flag of the party.

    “So, 16 of them have to be able to find some comfort even if they are not favoured through the nomination process because this party can only nominate one candidate. Regardless of who wins the primary, we hope that the rest of them will support the person to ensure that we do our best to retain the governance of Osun State.

    “We have decided that in other to ensure popular participation, and to deepen democracy in Osun State, in-line with the provision of our party constitution which allow 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 if that every card carrying member of our party will participate in the process of nominating the flag nearer of the party. This for us is the most democratic way to conduct election and is in line with what our critical stakeholders from that part of the country want and we are quite happy to oblige.

    “The whole idea is that the more we allow our party members to participate in the process of nominating candidates, we will remove the issue of corruption or monetizing the processes of nominating aging candidates, in addition to the fact that party members will have a sense of ownership of the outcome of the exercise.

    “We have also decided to nominate a panel that will be chaired by the governor of Zamfara State who is also the chairman of the Governors’ Forum. We have no doubt that no one can compromise him and will approach this exercise in line with the spirit and letters of our constitution.

    “He will be assisted by four others who will work with him to ensure that this direct primary is conducted hitch free and the outcome will lay a foundation for popular mobilisation of the Osun electorates.”

    Explaining the decision to switch from the indirect system to the direct option, he said: “Our slogan is change, but we have not changed from bad to worse. We have only changed from a situation where only few delegates who fly the flag of the party to one in which all party members have a say and can participate actively.

    “Our democracy has to grow and our constitution allows for this process and I am proud that the people of Osun state are ready to go through the whole hog of allowing party members rather than allowing party caucus to determine who flies our flag. I think that is more democratic.

    “We see in America how party leaders go from one leader to another as voting goes on even before they come back to the proper election and I think the beauty in that is those members have a sense of ownership of that person and therefore we have a duty to mobilize for that person so that he wins.

    “We are not detained by a particular approach but we are doing this in line with the wishes of the real stakeholders in Osun state as we know then.”

    Speaking on the outcome of the governorship election in Ekiti State, Oshiomhole said: “We are particularly excited not because we won, but like we said the last time, what matter to us is the process rather than the outcome. We just want to make sure that the results of election reflect the will of the people.

    “You will also recall there were issues about police deployment, I am very happy that all the commentators and observes including the EU (European Union) are happy that the election was free of violence and that the process was free and fair. We cannot ask for more.

    “We celebrate not just the fact that we won, we celebrate that under President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, we now can see that election can be conducted without people being hospitalized or some finding their way to the grave because they have been killed in the process.

    “We are very proud of this accomplishment and we have asked Dr. Fayemi to use the intervening period between now and then to reflect on all that he need to reflect on so that by the the he is sworn in formally, he will hit the ground running because the Ekiti people cannot afford to wait any longer to begin to see a renewed and refocused leadership that will ensure the quality of life of the Ekiti people.”

  • Osun APC to pick governorship candidate by direct primary

    The State Working Committee (SWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has recommended the direct primary model for its governorship aspirants.

    In a resolution at its meeting at the weekend in Osogbo, the state capital, the party’s SWC, led by its chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, recommended that the direct primary be adopted for the nomination of its candidate in the September 22 election, as provided for in Section 87 of the Electoral Act (2010), as amended.

    The party resolved that its decision was predicated on the grounds that:

    • a direct primary election will give every party member the opportunity to be involved in the nomination, as against the indirect primary.
    • a direct primary will signify popular participation by ensuring the largest participation of party members across the state.
    • a direct primary system promotes democracy, reduces the intimidation of delegates, bribery and other electoral malfeasance. It promotes popular participation and prevents monetisation of the process and intimidation.
    • the direct primary system will also address the fear of imposition of any person as candidate of the party, being alleged in some quarters.
    • Osun APC has been using direct primaries for all its internal electoral activities since 2014. For instance, the governorship primaries of 2014 and the recent local government election in January 2018. This has enhanced popular participation of members at the primary and the subsequent general elections.
    • a direct primary helps to mobilising members and popularising the party in the state.

    The APC urged the National Working Committee (NWC) to approve direct primary for Osun State primary election for the nomination of its candidate for the September 22 governorship election.

     

  • Ekiti APC: Party elders propose direct primary

    Tinubu, Akande, others intervene NWC orders new poll Friday

    Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southwest yesterday intervened in the controversial shadow election to pick the party’s candidate for the July 14 Ekiti State governorship election.

    Last Saturday’s election was disrupted. After reviewing the report of the Electoral Committee led by Nasarawa State Governor Tanko Al-Makura, the party leadership yesterday cancelled the Saturday exercise and fixed Friday for a fresh primary.

    However, a meeting of Southwest leaders of the party with the aspirants in Abuja is likely to propose direct primary to pick the candidate. The meeting, it was learnt, was at the instance of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was said to have been embarrassed by the the disruption of the shadow poll.

    Yesterday’s meeting was attended by party stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Interim National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande, former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba,  former Ekiti State Governor Adeniyi Adebayo and Vice Chairman (SouthWest) Pius Akinyelure. Of the 33 aspirants are in the race, 26 attended the meeting.

    At the meeting were Minister of Mines and Steel Development Kayode Fayemi, former Governor Segun Oni, former House of Representatives member Opeyemi Bamidele, presidential adviser Babafemi Ojudu, Senator Ayo Arise and former House of Representatives member Bamidele Faparusi.

    After the break, chairman of the primary panel Governor Tanko Al-Makura came in and was part of the second round of the meeting.

    The meeting proposed direct primary to be held across the 177 wards for the selection of the stardard bearer.

    It was learnt that after debating the proposal, the aspirants at the meeting went into division and majority –  17 aspirants voted for direct primary, which will allow all card- carrying members of the party to participate in picking the candidate at their wards.

    Six of the aspirants voted for the delegate system, which was used in the disrupted primary. Three voted for a consensus candidate arrangement.

    It was learnt that the leaders will take the proposal for direct primary to the national leadership of the party for consideration today.

    The leaders cautioned the aspirants against inflammatory remarks that could bring the party into disrepute.

    Those who agreed to step down are to  get a refund of the fees they paid for the nomination form, it was also learnt. This is a way to prune the number of aspirants down from 33.

    Chief Akande, who did not reveal the decisions, told reporters after the meeting that a decision had been taken on the way forward  and it would be communicated to the party’s leadership today.

    He said the meeting took a decision it felt would be in the general interest of the party and the nation.

    He said: “We will convey our resolution to the party and the party will be able to tell you.

    “We took a decision on what will be the best advantage to our party and the country. Consensus is written in our constitution and it is an option. Also primary election is in our constitution. But what we want is the general happiness of the leaders of the party, the contestants and our party.”

    On whether the aspirants agreed to step down for one of them, he said “that option is given to them, but it requires them going back, thinking about it and informing us”.

    On the fresh primary, Akande  said: “We are going to talk to the party about what the aspirants have said and what we all thought was best and we know that the party will take the right decision.

    “The party chose the old date, chose the modalities and the method of doing it and when it was aborted, the party cancelled it. Who am I to say I disagree? I was not part of that process. I am now going to be part of the new process so that we don’t have the kind of problems we had.”

    Fayemi left the venue at about 6.32pm when the meeting went on break. He declined to speak with reporters.

    Former Deputy National Chairman Oni dismissed claims that one of the aspirants walked out, saying: “Nobody walked out of the meeting. We are on break and will reconvene.”

    He also dismissed the option of going for a consensus. “We are not considering that. We are going for election,” Oni said. The same position was echoed by Senator Ayo Arise.

    Governor Al-Makura arrived at the venue at about 7.05pm and went into a meeting with the leaders