National Chairman of the ruling APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the party adopted direct primary to select its candidates for the 2019 elections to strengthen internal democracy.
Oshiomhole, who is the immediate past governor of Edo state, said that the option would reduce manipulation associated with the delegates system.
But the APC chairman acknowledges that logistic and security problems are tied to direct system of primary.
“Party members are complaining that they have no role to play in the party, except voting during the general elections, like other members of the public,” he told The Nation.
“We also note that direct primary is free from the vices associated with the indirect primary. Direct primary cannot be manipulated. It is not prone to corruption.
“We want to grow democracy. We want the party members to have ownership of the party. We want to give our members a sense of belonging.”
He also said that those against the direct primary were mainly governors who were the major beneficiaries of the delegates system.
“The governors who have commissioners, special advisers, SSAs, and local government chairmen are still afraid of direct primary. But, senators are rooting for it. Some senators are not in the good book of their governors. But, they can win at the direct primary if they are in the good book of their people in the party,” he added.
The APC had, on 30 August, adopted direct primary election for next year’s general election during its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari.
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