News / politics

National Assembly to APC, Presidency, Governors: No going back on Direct Primaries

An extended tripartite committee of the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday met to discuss and resolve topical issues, particularly party primaries.

The meeting, held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja, was chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).

President Muhammadu Buhari had in August 2020 established a Tripartite Consultative Committee of the Executive, Legislature and Leadership of the APC with a view to fostering cordial and beneficial relationship among all.

The National Assembly, on Tuesday, passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021. Tuesday’s meeting had in addition to members of the tripartite committee representatives of APC governors and members of the National Assembly.

Governor Yayaha Bello Kogi State, who spoke with State House correspondents after the meeting, said the critical issues were resolved.

Bello said: “The takeaway is that the topical issues have been resolved.

“The legislature, the executive and our party.

“So it is a good resolution.

“I don’t think any legislator or anybody whatsoever as far as APC is concerned is afraid or has any reservation about any mode of primaries.

“The only concern is the implication of having only one option.

“In case an option fails, what happens?

“If for instance INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) sets a date for an election and say it is sacrosanct.

“For instance, today is September 9.

“If INEC is suppose to conduct election today and it says that day is sacrosanct, under no circumstance should it be shifted and a circumstance beyond your control arises, what do you do?

“It means there will be no election.

“Then, you are calling for anarchy.

“That is just the only concern of our people.

“And I think we are taking that head on and I think we are going to be good for whatever decision that will be taken at the end of the day.”

The governor said he belonged to the executive arm of the government and would not subscribe to meddling with the affairs of the legislature.

Bello said whatever decision the legislature had taken might have been …

News / politics

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 …