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Tag: Indirect primaries

  • Ekiti APC to elect NASS candidates by indirect primaries

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State will elect its National Assembly candidates through indirect primaries.

    The party’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ade Ajayi, who disclosed this to our reporter on Monday, said the fate of the senatorial and House of Representatives candidates will be determined by delegates.

    Ajayi disclosed that Senate primaries will be held on Tuesday, October 2 in the three senatorial districts while House of Representatives primaries will follow on Wednesday, October 3 in the six federal constituencies.

    The House of Assembly primaries, according to him, will hold on Friday, October 5 in the twenty six state constituencies.

    Senator Ayo Arise, Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi, Dr. Olusegun Osinkolu and Sir Kayode Otitoju are slugging it out for the senatorial ticket in Ekiti North.

    It will be a straight fight between incumbent Senator Fatimat Raji Rasaki and former House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele in Ekiti Central while Prince Dayo Adeyeye has emerged as consensus candidate in Ekiti South.

    Meanwhile, the Ekiti APC has inaugurated the chairmen of its sixteen local government chapters with a charge to ensure victory in all the forthcoming elections.

    The state APC Chairman, Mr. Paul Omotoso, who performed the inauguration at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, said the party must maintain its winning streak which started with the governorship poll in the fast approaching general elections.

    The APC chair charged them to disciplined, law abiding and obedient to the party constitution in the discharge of their duties as party bosses in the grassroots.

    Omotoso also urged them to be committed, dedicated and loyal to the governor-elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, and other leaders of the party.

    He stressed the need for the party chairmen in the 16 LGs to embark on aggressive membership drive and mobilisation of members ahead of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Omotoso further advised them to be attending meetings regularly and update their members on happenings in the party.

    The inaugurated APC LG chairmen are Clement Ojo (Ekiti East), Idowu Isaac (Ise/Orun), Olabode Oladipo (Ilejemeje), Oluwole Bolarinwa (Emure), Matthew Oni (Ikole), Tokunbo Akinyeye (Gbonyin), Olajide Felix (Ekiti Southwest) and Michael Akinleye (Ado).

    The rest are Olu Aladeloye (Ekiti West), Kayode Oyebode (Ikere), Opeyemi Ogundele (Irepodun/Ifelodun), James Awe (Ijero), Oluwafemi Adeyeye (Moba), Adewumi Aina (Ido/Osi) and Olumide Adeyanju (Oye).

     

  • 2019: APC governors insist on indirect primaries

    …few states adopt direct primaries

     

    Governors of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) appeared to have had their way regarding the mode of primary to adopt for the conduct of party primaries across the country as they rose from their meeting on Wednesday night insisting on using both direct and indirect option in the various states.

    The meeting of the governors under the Progressive Governors Forum was attended by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of the party and the Ekiti state governor elect, Kayode Fayemi.

    Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Imo state governor and Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha said the governors decided to adopt both option, with majority of the states going for the indirect option.

    Even though he did not name the states going for the indirect option, Okorocha said the governors resolved to work for the success of the party before, during and after the primary and also work to ensure victory for the party during the general election.

    He said “We just held a meeting with the Chairman and we’ve resolved that in support of the party that we are going to have free and fair primaries. Everybody will be given equal chance to participate in the primaries which will be transparent, free and fair.

    “We have adopted both direct and indirect and most of the states are going for indirect primaries, but for the president it is going to be direct primaries. So we have all resolved and to assure Nigerians that we are ready for the primaries and we are ready for the main election as decided by NEC and we are sure that come 2019 APC shall have the victory. We are calling on all our supporters to support the party.

    “The 22 governors and the National Working Committee are working together and we have resolved to make sure that we get victory for the party come 2019.”

    Asked how the governors intend to handle the deluge of complain from their states especially those who want direct primary, he said “the NEC made it clear that the parties will decide at every state level what they want, either direct or indirect primaries.

    “Normally you would know that our party is even a peaceful party. It is the most peaceful party in Nigeria right now where there are no schemishes and scuffles. If you are looking at other parties, you would know there is no party at all. So these minor complains here and there is expected because even in a family you have it.

    “The NEC have declared that we are going to have direct and indirect primaries and the party at the state level will decide what type of primary to adopt.”

    Contributing, Kaduna state Governor, Mallam Nasir EL-Rufai there was no way every member of the party will agree to one thing, pointing out that the decision on which option to adopt in accordance with NEC decision is to be based on majority decision.

    He said: “There is no way one hundred percent of the party will agree to one thing. There will always be some that will disagree but the decision of NEC is that the majority of the state Executive Committee decided on the mode of primaries.

    “And the Kaduna state that you mentioned which I’m the Governor by the grace of God, the majority of the State Executive Committee decided on indirect primaries. If one or two members don’t agree, that’s off that is not the decision of NEC.”

    Apparently bowing to pressure, National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said the task before the leadership of the party was to ensure the conduct of a credible primary that will be free, fair and transparent.

    Oshiomhole said “I think my task and the task of the party is clear. We have a tradition as a progressive party to submit ourselves to the dictates of our party and we believe in internal democracy because we are democrats and democracy must begin from within the house before we can do it outside.

    “We are committed to transparent primaries and will ensure that everyone who has interest in our party and we are happy at the level of enthusiasm measured by the number of persons who have applied for various positions from House of Assembly up shows a huge number of Nigerians still prefer the All Progressives Congress as the more credible platform of which to contest.

    “Our task is very simple, obey the rules of the party, obey the rules of fairness, obey the rules of natural justice and that is what we mean when we talk about free and fair primaries.

    “Number two, we have spoken to this before, it is not a new decision that our constitution consciously provided for flexibility to reflect the diversity of our great country and also to try to give expression to the entire essence of federalism which allows different states to look at their own situation and advice the NWC as to what works better for them provided that in all cases the process is democratic, the rules are fair, the officiating officials are impartial.

    “All of us, Governors, NWC and even President, we all agreed that this is the way to go and that is what we are going to do.

    Speaking on Lagos state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, Oshiomhole said “the attempt to say an embattled Governor, there is no APC Governor that is embattled and because we are democratic, the best way to measure democracy is the presence of more than one person showing interest in an office.

    “That does not make any other person embattled. But of course the media can create this impression that there is an earthquake in Lagos, there is no earthquake.

    “At every level I have seen people claiming that in one or two offices there was no opposition. In every other office we have more than one candidate expressing interest. Those people who are currently occupying those positions are not by reasons of those new expressions of interests embattled.

    “Three, to say that you have never seen Lagos State Governor in our meetings is to the extent that your lens is blurred. My records and minutes of our meetings will show the participation of Lagos State Governor in all the meetings in which he has been invited. But like some other Governors, some meetings have coincided with some other activities.

    “There is no Governor including my humble self when I was a Governor I didn’t manage to achieve 100 percent attendance. Even in parliament, there are minimum requirements so I don’t think it is fair to suggest that you have seen somebody here because of anything.

    “I think our party in Lagos is at peace, there are conversations going on at the ward level across the 8,500 wards or there about across the country conversations are going on within the APC family. Conversations are going on in each of the 774 Local Governments across the country.

    “Our party members are negotiating, they are persuading, they are doing compromises, and they are competing, because we are progressing. Across the 36 states our party activity is at its peak and that is how it is even at the centre. So it will be unfair for anyone out of his own prejudice to label anyone as embattled or being pressured. Everyone has been active.”

  • Direct vs indirect primaries

    In direct primaries, the All Progressives Congress (APC) may well be blazing a revolutionary trail, in the recruitment of electoral candidates.

    It is “revolutionary”,  because since 1999, there have been too many powers and principalities in political parties, full of whims and caprices.

    First, you have governors who, though they contested and won power on the party platform, decree themselves czars, before which parties — and other fellow members — must bow and tremble.

    Then, a coterie of party careerists and influence peddlers, who position themselves as new aristocrats, in a supposed democracy, where the base word is equality.

    In a patronage-suffused corrupt system, this careerist network, the democratic hoity-toity, confirms the supremacy of the president, governor, and even local government chairmen, with their parallel chain in the legislative arm; and condemns other party hoi polloi as the wretched of the earth.

    These plebs, the bulk of the party members, must be seen, seldom heard, except during the testy election period.  That would explain the frustration and bitterness, among the party rank-and-file, many of who feel they are no more than foot-soldiers, to mobilise the vote; and canon fodders, to protect party bosses.

    Still, no matter how ideal direct party primaries appear, and its allure of re-democratisation and re-mobilisation of political parties, you could see — and that is hardly surprising — that it appears hugely unpopular with APC governors, who wouldn’t abandon, in a hurry, their virtual power of life-and-death, over party affairs.

    It’s not that the governors’ power is altogether negative.  You see cases too, of legislators at the National Assembly, who get in there only to abandon the interest of the people that voted them, for some fleeing parliamentary fancy.  Bukola Saraki’s 8th National Assembly is replete with such notoriety.

    Maybe the governors stand well placed to call such to order?  But then, who regulates the party regulator?  Is it just gubernatorial whims?  That is the danger.

    Even the media, with that penchant to turn everything into a combat to boost copy sales, don’t seem to think it’s all a big deal.  You read headlines like “APC state chapters dare Oshiomhole; stick to indirect primaries”.  No, it isn’t Oshiomhole’s personal battle — in any case, it shouldn’t be.  It is all about reclaiming the soul of political parties, from a few hierarchs, to the many that own the collective.

    Besides, the collapse of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former ruling party, arose from President Olusegun Obasanjo towering above the party that vaulted him to power and re-moulding it in his own image.  That climaxed in the electoral fiasco of 2015.

    And the progressives too, has anyone wondered why their crises always come, not necessarily in governance, but on election eves, when they pick candidates?  Check the history, dating back to Alliance for Democracy (AD), Action Congress (AC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now APC?

    Despite the present resistance, direct primaries hold the key to re-democratizing the political parties.  Every party should make it an integral part of its constitution.  While those who govern should be servants of the people (that is what the vote, at least in theory, is all about), those who recruit leaders should be servants of the party collective.

    No sane democratic polity thrives without party supremacy.  Direct primaries hand that right back to the party collective, from a few hierarchs, as it is now.

  • In Kaduna, senators kick, as party adopts indirect primaries

    IN Kaduna, the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party rose from its Thursday meeting, adopting the indirect primaries, but its only Senator from the state, Shehu Sani, alongside some other stakeholders kicked against indirect primaries.

    Senator Shehu Sani though, for the first time since his suspension by the party in 2016, was in attendance at the party’s SEC meeting, where the indirect primaries mode was adopted. He however quickly addressed the media to register his disagreement to the party’s decision.

    While briefing newsmen shortly after the SEC meeting, the state chairman of the party, Air Cdre Emmanuel K. Jekada, had hinged the party’s rejection of direct primaries on what it called non-applicability of the election mode in Kaduna State. He stated categorically that, “Direct Primary method is not applicable in Kaduna State.”

    According to Jekada, “The Kaduna State Executive Committee (SEC) in line with the directives of the National Executive Committee (NEC), sat today, Thursday, 6 September, 2018 and adopted “Indirect Primary” as the mode of conduct of the party primary elections in Kaduna State.

    “The ‘Direct Primary method’ is not applicable in the state due to the following reasons: Absence of a comprehensive register of party members; the APC Kaduna party leadership has made spirited attempts to acquire a comprehensive database of party members from the party’s National Headquarters but to no avail. Without a comprehensive membership register, any direct primaries may be disrupted by non-members, including individuals from other parties who may come up with fake membership cards to cause confusion in the process.

    “Experience of Direct Primaries from the recently concluded primary elections for councillorship in the state, where the party adopted direct primaries to select its candidates, was marred by significant disruption and controversy and over stretched the security agencies. Using this mode for the upcoming primary elections would definitely not produce the desired results and its credibility may be called to question.

    “The direct primary method would result in significant logistic challenges for the party; with party membership running into hundreds of thousands in the state, printing of ballots, deployment of election materials, accreditation, voting, collation and declaration of results would be very expensive with financial cost surpassing a billion naira in Kaduna alone. These are costs that the party may not be able to shoulder in view of the fact that it was not envisaged, and no budget provision has been made for it.

    “In order to deepen and broaden the democratic practice, the party looks forward to the adoption of direct primaries in future elections at which time the limitations listed above would have been resolved.

    “Therefore, in recognition of 2a-c above, the State Executive Committee adopted the ‘Indirect’ mode of primaries for nomination of candidates in the 2019 elections in the state. This decision will accordingly be communicated to the National Executive Committee of the party as required,” he stressed.

    Meanwhile, Senator Shehu Sani and his predecessor in the Senate, General Mohammed Sani Saleh while addressing journalists at the NUJ secretariat after the SEC meeting said, the decision of the SEC is not final, as they, as aspirants, have equally submitted their position in favour of direct primaries to the national secretariat of the party.

    According to Senator Sani, “The party has just concluded the state executive committee meeting at which they read out a resolution that they prefer the indirect method in the forthcoming primary elections.  Well, that is the state’s position and not the final say; national headquarters required that every states executive committees must submit a written request signed by state’s executive committee members, critical stakeholders as well as aspirants to various offices in the state.

    ‘So far, out of these three categories of people, the state executive committee has taken its own stand; it is left for critical stakeholders and aspirants to state their own position on this matter. And as an aspirant to the office of senator for Kaduna Central Senatorial District, I do not agree to indirect method of conducting the primaries because of obvious reasons.

    “One of the reasons is the manner in which the congresses were conducted. It was conducted in such a way that certain individuals were given the opportunity to select the entire executive members from every wards and LGA in the state.  It was not free and fair so I don’t think I will be doing justice to myself, to subject myself to general election under that condition.

    “The safest, fairest and best thing is for us to throw this thing open if you are not afraid of the people that you are aspiring to represent, subject yourself to election by them,” he said.

  • Indirect primaries option divides Adamawa APC

    A DECISION to adopt indirect primaries to pick candidates for elective positions has pitched the bigwigs in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State in two opposing camps.

    A camp loyal to Governor Mohammed Umar Jibrilla, which consists mostly of people in government, are backing direct primaries, while the other camp, which comprises people mostly outside the government, are rooting for direct primaries.

    The State Executive Committee (SEC) of the party had adopted indirect primaries last Monday,  September 3, when it held a meeting in the state capital,  Yola, where members of the committee stressed that it’s decision was in perfect order.

    The state secretary of the party, Wafurniyi Theman, said in a communique after the meeting that the decision followed consultations to consider the best option for the state.

    A member of the SEC and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, said the party’s constitution provided for three methods of selecting candidates: direct,  indirect or consensus, and that by choosing indirect method,  the party was covered. “It is for us as a state executive committee in Adamawa to decide which of the three methods we want,” he said.

    Governor Mohammed Jibrilla who spoke through his deputy, Hon Martin’s Babale, said he was backing the resolution of the party’s SEC to adopt the indirect primaries to pick candidates for elective positions.

    Other members of government at the state and national level supporting indirect primaries include Senator Binta Masi Garba, who represents Adamawa North Senatorial District, and the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Kabiru Majinyawa, as well as other APC members of the House.

    Conversely, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr. Babachir David Lawal, former governor of the state, Murtala Nyako,  and former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, are some of the APC bigwigs kicking against  indirect primaries.

    The spokesman of the camp canvassing direct primaries,  Usman Ibrahim,  said after a meeting in Yola that any decision that did not involve the likes of Babachir Lawal,  Murtala Nyako,  Nuhu Ribadu,  Senator Ahmad Moallahyidi Abubakar,  Sen Abubakar Girei,  among others,  could not be accepted as valid.

    He said the state governor and the others supporting indirect primaries were in truth expressing their fear of direct primaries because they had lost touch with the people who would be involved in a direct primary election.

  • Sokoto assembly APC lawmakers donate form to Guber aspirant

    THE twelve All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers of the Sokoto State House of Assembly on Friday purchased and donated the governorship nomination and expression form to a frontline and one of the hot contenders of the party’s Governorship ticket, Hon.Farouk Malami Yabo.

    The form was picked for the aspirant in the afternoon in Abuja.

    The lawmakers gesture is coming two days after the state chapter of the party resolved at its meeting to adopt the Indirect method of primaries.

    Similarly, the move seem to be a clear signal that the aspirant may have garnered for himself the unshaken support of the legislators to sail through at the upcoming primaries.

    Read Also: Group buys nomination form for Niger governor

    Yabo is said to be one of the three contenders believed to be eyeing the state number one seat ahead of the 2019 polls.

    However, others believed to be jostling for the position within the party include sitting Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto and former Minister of Transport/ Youths and Sport, Yusuf Suleiman who recently defected to the party.

    Accordingly, Yabo is coming from same Southern senatorial zone with Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal while Suleiman and Aliyu Sokoto are from the Eastern and Central zones respectively.

  • Indirect primaries: ‘Fifth columnists in APC Working against Buhari’s victory’

    Senator representing Zamfara Central in the National Assembly, Senator Kabiru Marafa has said that some fifth columnists are working within the APC to frustrate the electoral victory of the party in the forth coming general election by insisting on conducting indirect primaries using a flawed list of delegates that emerged from a flawed congresses that are currently being challenged in court.

    Marafa who spoke with newsmen at the national secretariat after obtaining his nomination form to contest the governorship ticket said the initial plans was to conduct the primary through indirect option so that people can challenge the victory of the President on the excuse that his nomination was done with a list of illegal delegates.

    He said the currently leadership of the party, working in concert with the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu saw into the future and decided to isolate from such plot, insisting on conducting the Presidential primary through direct primary.

    Read Also:Katsina, Kaduna, Rivers, Imo APC adopt indirect method to pick candidates

    The Senator who said he would conduct his own primary through direct option “because I am challenging the flawed congresses in court”, said it is quite obvious and clear to all that those who are pushing for indirect primary do not mean well for the party and does not want the party to win the forth coming general election.

    He said: “I said it after the congresses that I see the activities of fifth columnists in the APC that know they cannot defeat President Buhari in the general election. So, the common fear is the fear of second term of President Muhammadu Buhari. The issue then was if you cannot beat directly, how do you beat him indirectly? That was why the congresses were done, deliberately in such a way that they cannot withstand legal scrutiny.

    “In more than 21 states, there were parallel congresses and like I said that time, I don’t need to be a lawyer, or a retired judge to know that what held in most of the state was nothing but rubbish.

    “The APC said at that time, that anybody that is desirous to contest any party office should go to the bank and make so so payments and produce the teller and collect form to contest.

    “The party constitution provides for consensus. But in the absence of consensus, there should be election. Most of these states, people made payments into APC account, obtained their tellers but the governors feel they were demi-gods who must be worshipped and are the ones that can determine the attitude of every human being in Nigeria and we said look, you cannot do that.

    “There are some of us that are radically inclined, you can’t threaten us. That is exactly what happened. Now, glory be to God, under the present leadership of the APC, they saw that these people don’t mean well for this party and decided to insulate the president. That is why the APC said, Presidential election is by direct primaries.

    “This is an admission of failure of the congresses in the States. I am very happy that the APC has protected the President because their intentions (the fifth columnists), was that after general elections, people would go and challenge the election of the President and say the President was voted for during the primary by illegal delegates.

    “The National Chairman is a very wise person, highly experienced, and is working with the leader of the party, Chief Asiwaju, who can see through machinations and do the right thing. The rest is for us, States, we can sort ourselves out, we know ourselves, we know where we came from, we know all is political.

    On the issue of whether to use direct or indirect primaries, he said “I wrote the party through my lawyers because I am in court, challenging the illegality of these congresses and I have absolute confidence in my God, I have confidence in the judicial system of Nigeria. I believe they are going to do the right thing, because it cannot stand anywhere.

    “Having seen that we conducted parallel congresses, I don’t recognize what they have, they don’t recognize what I have. The party here is at liberty to do what they want to do, the very NWC recognised a faction, but thank God, we have the judiciary, we are there, I believe it may take some time, but the judiciary will do the right thing.

    “So, we opted for direct primaries and the reason is simple. We don’t want to be like them, we don’t want to be selfish, we want APC to win Zamfara, they don’t want APC to win Zamfara, they don’t want APC to win Nigeria. There are some of the technicalities on those things but it doesn’t matter.

    “I will do my direct primary with my with my own set of executive, they will do their indirect with their own set of executive. So, when the time comes for the court to rule, if they say Marafa is right, they will go home and retire. If the court says they are right, will I going home and retire. Thank God I have done business before I came to Senate.”

    Speaking on his ambition, the Senator said “I am not overly ambitious by nature. So, the driving force behind my ambition now this time around is the condition under which my people in Zamfara state live today. The issue of insecurity in Zamfara state is a matter of concern for everybody let alone somebody like me who a section of Zamfara State has done a great thing, that I am representing the state now.

    “The attitude of the government in Zamfara state dictates that all sons and daughters of Zamfara must put their hands on deck to ensure that we deal with the issue of insecurity decisively because one can say without fear of any contradiction that as we live today, there is no government in Zamfara state.

    “It is a common knowledge that the governor has variously been described as an absentee governor. It is a common knowledge to all that when the people of Zamfara State needed the government to tackle the insecurity, the governor absconded and he came out publicly to say that he had resigned his position as Chief Security Officer of Zamfara State. In a civilised democracy, he was supposed to resign or be forced to resign.

    “When a state governor comes out to say that he has resigned his position as Chief Security Officer and is sitting tight on the seat, spending security votes, spending the money allocated to that State, I don’t know what that is supposed to be called.

    “I don’t envy anybody aspiring to be the governor of Zamfara State. I believe that I have a responsibility to the people of Zamfara State and the zone I represent who honour to me. I also believe that no amount of sacrifice is too much for the people of Zamfara State.

    “In 2011, we contested against the Federal government, the state government and the local government. We contested under the platform of the ANPP which had no Federal government at that time, no state government at that time, no local government at that time.

    “I have faith in my God and my people stood solidly behind me because the way and manner the then PDP treated me. They said go to any party that will take you and I went to ANPP that didn’t have anything and by the special grace of God, my people brought about government of Zamfara state at that time because they gave the winning votes.

    I’m sure it was not our power, it was not anything. The people believed in us and I believe the government of Zamfara State of today has failed and I think I have a duty as somebody that contributed most in bringing about that government and I believe it is the time for me to pay back to my people.”

    Marafa who is one of the most vocal Senators in the current National Assembly said honest and sincerity of purpose are the two major things needed to address the current security challenges in the state, saying “the minister of internal affairs once had course to say that if you like, deploy all the military in Nigeria to Zamfara, they can achieve nothing because the government on ground is not interested in anything.

    “Like I said earlier, the governor has been variously an absentee governor. As I am talking right now, he is not in this country. Imagine, the Chief Security Officer has been absent in his country for more than 9 days, men and women are fleeing their hometowns.

    “In Zamfara, between 2011 and today, we have lost over 15,000 people. If you take a minimum of two wives per person, that means we have minimum of 30,000 widows. If you have a minimum of four children per person, we have 60,000 orphans. Who is feeding these children? Nobody is asking, nobody is interested, there is no IDPs in Zamfara, nobody is asking these questions, who is taking care of these widows?

    “Recently, when the Federal ministry of agriculture distributed grains, Zamfara state was missing. I was emotional at the floor of the Senate to make a case for Zamfara State. This is the duty we have. As Nigerians, we all have responsibilities.”

     

  • 2019: Imo APC adopts indirect Primaries

    The Imo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ), Thursday, adopted indirect primaries as the mode to elect its candidates for the 2019 elections.

    The decision was reached at an emergency State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting presided over by the state Chairman of the party, Mr. Daniel Nwafor.

    The motion for the adoption of the indirect Primaries was moved by the APC Chairman of Nwangele Local Government Area, Mr. Jude Mbamara and seconded by Obinna Egu, member representing Ngor-Okpala Council Area in the state House of Assembly.

    Speaking further on the development, the APC state Chairman, said that it was the unanimous decision of members of the party.

    He said that it reflects the minds of the larger population of members of the party, adding that the APC Constitution allows for both direct and indirect modes for election of candidates.

    According to him, “the NEC was specific that states should adopt any of the two modes that suits its peculiarities and the Imo state chapter after holistic deliberations among members and stakeholders has adopted the indirect mode”

    Read Also: Aregbesola appoints new Chief of Staff, LGSC boss

    Also lauding the decision, a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nnanna Igbokwe, said that indirect primaries conforms with the peculiarities of the State.

    Igbokwe who represents Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency, saluted the leadership of the party in the state for taking a popular decision.

    A governorship aspirant and Chief of Staff to the state Governor, Chief Uche Nwosu, commended the SEC for adopting the indirect primaries as the mode for electing its candidates, adding that it will deepen internal democracy.

  • Borno APC opts for indirect primaries

    The ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Borno State has opted for the indirect primary elections to field candidates for the forthcoming 2019 general elections.

    This decision was taken Tuesday at a stakeholders meeting held at the State Secretariat, Maiduguri by the pro Gov. Kashima Shettima State Executive of the party.

    Tuesday’s decision of the party according to analysts is a deep political punch against former governor Ali Modu Sheriff who has just returned to the party.

    The Nation gathered that Sheriff’s supporters are vehemently opposed to the indirect primaries as they are hoping to create an impact should the state chapter of the party opt for the direct primary option.

    In his address at the meeting, the APC state Chairman, Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori announced that the state has opted for the indirect primaries, explaining that even though the National Executive Council of the ruling party has approved and adopted direct primaries in electing presidential candidate, there was a window left for every state to decide whether they go for direct or indirect primaries.

    Dalori noted that Borno APC see the indirect primaries, as the best option to ensure fairness and peaceful coexistence among people and electorates across the state.

    “Borno APC would not allow a situation where some individual (s) in Borno who were based in Abuja and claimed to be working for President Muhammad Buhari, would come into our fold and dictate politics for us.

    ” We have unanimously adopted the indirect primaries in Borno, and nobody should come to tell us that we are for direct primaries,” Dalori said.

    Speaking on behalf of the Governor, his Deputy, Mamman Durkwa thanked all the stakeholders for aytending the meeting which he said was timely.

    His words “I want to thank you on behalf of our Governor and Chairman Northern Governors’ Forum, Hon. Kashim Shettima who is unavoidably absent.

    “We want to say that all the decisions unanimously taken for endorsement of indirect Primaries is a good omen to our Democracy.

    ” We assure all and sundry that the present administration will join teaming supporters of APC to ensure unprecedented victory in free and fair elections come 2019.”

    Those who attended the meeting include all the three Senators Representing Borno North, Central and Southern Senatorial District, Abubakar Kyari, Alhaji Baba Kaka Garbai and Mohammed Ndume.

    Read Also: Kano APC adopts direct primaries

    Also in attendance were several House of representative members at the national assembly, Hon. Mohammed Tahir Monguno, Kadiri Rahis, Aliyu Betara, Asabe Vilita Bashir as well as House of Assembly members.

    Others were Deputy Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Usman Mamman Durkwa who stood in for the governor who was on an official visit to Germany.

    Senator Abubakar Kyari, Mohammed Tahir Monguno and Speaker, Abdulkareem Lawal who spoke on behalf of their colleagues said after due consultations, they have all endorsed and agreed to go for indirect primaries at all elective positions on the platform of the ruling APC in the state.

    Senator Kyari tendered an apology on behalf of Senator Mohammed Abba Aji who was unavoidably absent.

    According to Kyari, Abba Aji who is also one of the governorship aspirants have agreed to sign the endorsement document for the indirect primaries.

    Before concluding the meeting, the State secretary of the party, Alhaji Bello Ayuba called on the members to raise a motion for adoption of the endorsement document.

    Senator Ndume therefore moved a motion for adoption of the indirect primaries, and was seconded by Hon. Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, representing Damboa/Chibok/Gwoza federal constituency.

     

  • APC: Girei tackles Bindow over support for indirect primaries

    2015 Governorship aspirant and former Senator from Adamawa State, Abubakar Girei has condemned in strong terms the recent position of the Adamawa State Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) advocating for indirect primaries in the state.

    According to the Senator in an interview with newsmen in Kaduna, “the so called state committee meeting of the APC that was summoned by Governor Jibrilla Bindow in government house and his cronies demanding for indirect primaries on ground that Adamawa is not safe for direct primaries is far from the reality.

    “Therefore, their appeal to the Chairman National Working Committee to allow for indirect primaries in Adamawa state should not be taken serious because it is anti people in the present circumstance.

    “This is clearly what we have been talking about in the last six to seven months. The attitudes of politicians who have lost touch with realities on ground and are not even align with the objectives and aspirations of President Mohammadu Buhari is already becoming public.

    “Mr President who is a champion of anti corruption war cannot be seen to support anything with corrupt tendencies and illegitimate. Those who hide under the banner of insecurity to advocate for indirect primaries, are they saying there would be no election in Adamawa State in 2019.

    “The Indirect primaries they are talking about, is it not going to be after direct Congresses that will elect delegates for the canvassed indirect primaries? Are they trying to make Adamawa people to continue to waste their time from one election to another?.

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    “To my surprise, the Secretary of the federation created that confusion. For supporting indirect primaries, he is working against his principal who is in support of direct primaries, fairness, equity, and justice and who is for anything against corruption, the people of this country, masses and direct primaries.

    “The Secretary to the Federal Government coming to allign himself with jibrilla Bindow who has lost out completely talking about indirect primaries is a misplaced priority.

    “I want to advise my good friend Barrister Boss Mustapha a defined gentle man by all standard to retrace his steps as quickly as possible, because that stand is not good for the people of Adamawa, country and the APC”, lhe said.