…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.” (The Nation )
