2019: Group buys N45m forms for Buhari APC: Abia adopts direct primaries as Kebbi, Ebonyi opt for consensus Kano, Kogi, Ondo, Sokoto, others want indirect primaries

The Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday became the first to adopt direct primaries for the selection of candidates for the 2019 elections as recommended by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

Kebbi and Ebonyi states, on the other hand, opted for consensus raising the possibility automatic tickets to some candidates.

However, more states especially those controlled by the APC have adopted the indirect primaries amid of granting

protest by some stakeholders who had been edged out during the party’s congresses in June.

Daily Trust reports that direct primaries will allow all card carrying members of the party to participate in the election of candidates. In indirect primaries, however, delegates will choose the party’s candidates.

Speaking in Umuahia, the Abia State APC chairman, Chief Donatus Nwamkpa, told journalists at the end of a stakeholders meeting that they settled for direct primary to give opportunity to all members to vote for their aspirants.

He said the party had refused to allow few persons to decide who pick the party’s ticket for various offices in the forthcoming elections.

“This direct primaries we have adopted will help us to assess the strength of the party in the various wards. We would do it to test run how prepared we are to take over Abia in 2019. And in Abia APC, we have no preferred candidate; we don’t want anybody to be taken for granted,” he said. But the Kebbi State chapter of the APC said it will choose its candidates through consensus.

The State Executive Committee of the party, which is the highest body of the APC in Kebbi State, has also endorsed Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu for a second term.

The SEC, made up of the governor, deputy governor, past governors, their deputies, party leaders, present and past national and state lawmakers, among others, agreed on the position after a meeting at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi.

The state APC chairman, Architect Bala Sani Kangiwa, told journalists ‘’The national headquarters of APC directed us to decide on any of the three provisions of the party constitution: direct, indirect or consensus and we have decided to adopt consensus.”

He however said where consensus failed, indirect primaries will be held, adding that the decision taken at the SEC meeting was unanimous and would be taken to APC headquarters in Abuja.

The Ebonyi State chapter of the APC also adopted consensus as best approach in deciding its candidates. It also chose indirect primaries as next option where the aspirants failed to reach a common accord. The decisions were reached after a motion moved by Chief Gabriel Eniodu, seconded by Hon. Peter Ogoali during the party’s State Executive Council (SEC) during a meeting at the party’s secretariat along Afikpo-Abakaliki highway.

Chief Eniodu cited security and alleged harassment from the state ruling PDP as reasons for members of the party to accept his motion.

However, the Financial Secretary of the party, Okenwa Uka Nnachi, moved motion for indirect primaries to be next option and was seconded by Comrade Timothy Oku from Ishielu Local Government of the state.

When it was put to vote, only one voted against the consensus option.

However, more states with APC governors at the helm of affairs have settled for the indirect primary elections.

In Yobe State, a letter signed by the state chairman, Alhaji Adamu Chilariye and Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Bakabe, said their the decision had been transmitted to the national leadership of the party.

“The party has lean financial resources to organize direct election within the stipulated time frame. Also, time factor will not warrant the party to embark on fresh membership registration; nor mobilize funds for the direct primary option,” the letter said.

In Zamfara, the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Lawali M. Liman, said after a meeting in Gusau that all stakeholders wanted indirect primaries.

But Senator Kabiru Marafa, who is leading a different APC group in Zamfara State, is calling for direct primaries.

The Sokoto State chapter of the party has also adopted the indirect primary option, adopted President Muhammadu Buhari as its sole presidential candidate.

It also passed a vote of confidence on Senator Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, as the leader of APC in the state.

These were part of decisions reached at a meeting of stakeholders, including executives of the party at the state and local government levels, federal and state lawmakers and other party stalwarts.

Commenting at the end of the meeting, Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, said the party declared unflinching support to the national leadership of the party.

In Bauchi State also, the APC said would adopt indirect primaries.

The state chairman of the party, Alhaji Uba Ahmed Nana, said after the party’s executive meeting at Zaranda Hotel in Bauchi that they weighed various options and agreed on using delegates.

The Kano State chapter of the APC equally adopted direct primaries.

Rising from a meeting yesterday, the SEC of the party said the decision stood to improve the stock of the APC in the coming elections.

A statement by the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas Sanusi, said the decision was unanimously endorsed by the state governor, Dr.

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the two senators from the state, Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and Barau Jibrin, 13 members of the House of Representatives led by the Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

Also unanimously endorsing the indirect primaries were the 32 members of the state assembly led by the Speaker, Kabiru Al Hassan Rurum, 53 state executive members of the party, 44 it elected chairmen of the party and 44 LG party chairmen, as well as secretaries of the party in the 44 LGs of the state.

In Kogi State, the chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, who spoke yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja, said the party adopted the indirect primaries option because it was cheap, credible and easy to conduct.

The Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, moved the motion where indirect primary was unanimously approved by stakeholders.

Speaking at the meeting, Governor Yahaya Bello said he had not anointed any candidate and urged aspirants to go ahead to obtain forms.

The chairman of the party in the Ondo State, Mr Ade Adetimehin, had after a stakeholders meeting attended by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, his deputy, Mr Agboola Ajayi, members of the State Executive Council and those of the state House of Assembly, said they had agreed to adopt indirect primaries because of its obvious advantages.

Daily Trust reports that complaints and disaffections have continued to trail the indirect primary option in many states, especially where members of the National Assembly and other chieftains are not in good terms with their governors.

In Adamawa State, for instance, APC chieftains including ex- SGF Babachir Lawal, ex- Governor Murtala Nyako, exEFCC chairman Nuhu Ribadu and a host of aspirants, said the Governor Jibrilla Bindow and his cronies were afraid of direct primaries because they had lost touch with the people. In Kaduna, Senator Shehu Sani said indirect primary is a recipe for corruption while in Katsina the APC Akida threatened to go to court to challenge the state chapter of the party for adopting the method.