2019 Election – Some senators are threatening to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress should the party fail to adopt direct primaries for the 2019 elections, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.
Some of the lawmakers who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES warned that the party will experience mass defection if it fails to adopt the direct primaries.
They alleged that some governors are applying pressure on the national leadership of the party to adopt indirect primaries to choose candidates for the 2019 elections.
If the party adopts the usual indirect primary, the senators said, the party will lose its majority status at the Senate. For them, the only way to reclaim leadership of the senate is an assurance of direct primaries by the party.
Direct primaries involves the participation of all party members in the selection of party candidates while indirect primaries involves use of delegates, often party leaders at local levels and political appointees as well as elected officials, to elect party candidates.
The APC used the direct primaries to elect its governorship candidate in Osun for next month’s governorship election. Prior to that, it often used the indirect primaries system.
The ruling party will on Thursday hold its first National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting since Senate President Bukola Saraki left the party.
The meeting is expected to deliberate on the party’s preparation for the 2019 elections especially its primaries.
APC NEC, the second highest organ of the ruling party, comprises the president, vice president, governors elected under the platform of the party as well as chairpersons of the party in the 36 states.
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