APC governors, lawmakers disagree over adoption of direct primaries

There are indications that the governors are out to resist the direct primary method as they are said to be mounting pressure on the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN to stop President Muhammadu Buhari from signing the Bill into law.

The Senate on Tuesday passed the harmonized version of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

The National Assembly also gave its nod to the electronic transmission of election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Although, the Upper Chamber initially rooted for indirect primary, it made a U-turn and supported the direct mode, just as the House of Representatives rebuffed pressure by the governors to jettison the direct primary.

According to the governors, the retention of direct mode amounted to the usurpation of the function of political parties.

Sources say they are mobilising for a showdown with lawmakers who have also vowed not to give up their position. They argue that direct primaries are more democratic and confer power to the people rather than the delegate system of indirect primaries which makes it easy for moneybags to influence party selections even when the candidates are not popular. Governors, we gathered, are pushing for indirect primaries because such approach favours them in electing candidates of their choice.

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Checks have shown that, largely because of their numerical strength, the north prefers direct primary which loyalists of APC leader, Ahmed Tinubu also say favours the Lagos astute politician who could command majority of the votes from Kano, Borno and Lagos states if he finally decides to run for the Presidency.

But there also those who are opposed to him and have been pulling strings to stop him. They are the ones banking on Attorney General of the Federation, Malami to convince President Muhammadu Buhari not to assent to the bill.

The adoption of direct primary by the National Assembly is conflicting with the interest of Progressives Governors’ Forum who met in Abuja on Monday; expressing their displeasure on direct primary arrangement.

Senate Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  Taraba South said , “direct primaries will return power to the people. Simple.”

On his part, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, All Progressives Congress, APC, Oyo North said, “We have  to promote internal democracy to help our democracy grow, anybody that is against direct primary is not a democrat, we should allow the  Grassroots to participate in choosing who leads them like it is done in advanced democracies.”

A senator who confirmed that they were aware of the moves by governors to plead with President Buhari not to assent to the bill said ‘we have taken a position and will not give up on this because it is for the general interest of Nigeria. I think the President knows and will not pander to their whims. Our position is final on this’.