Electoral Act: Saraki begs National Assembly on Direct Primaries
Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has sent a passionate appeal to members of the National Assembly who are in the process of reconciling the different versions of the Electoral Act (amendment) Bill passed by both chambers to save the country the crisis and trouble that will result from the proposal to make direct primaries compulsory for parties in sourcing candidates for elections.
Saraki spoke in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Head of his Media Office, and made available on Sunday.
He noted that the decision to include a provision in the proposed Electoral Act, which makes it compulsory for parties to adopt direct primaries, will only create a fresh problem while trying to solve another.
He added that many of the political parties lack the necessary infrastructure to successfully conduct direct primaries at all levels, while the attempt will lead to hundreds of litigations that may jeopardize the general election. He said: “I feel compelled to once again appeal to Distinguished Senators and Honorable Members of the House of Representatives on the proposed Electoral Act because I realize that while the focus of the general public has been on how to get the electronic transmission of results into the proposed law, another potential problem that may clog our electoral process is included in the Electoral Act is this provision on direct primaries.
“The two options on the table are to make direct primaries compulsory for all the parties or to leave it open for parties to decide. We should take the latter option. Let us leave each party to decide how it wants to source its candidates. The experience we have in the past shows that direct primary will lead to a crisis if forced on the parties. We saw how people sent from the national headquarters to conduct primary elections stayed in hotel rooms and conjured up figures which were announced as the result of direct primary elections.
“Even if the big parties have the funds and facilities to organize direct primaries nationwide, how about the …