APC settles for direct primaries for 2019

APC settles for direct primaries for 2019

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has decided to adopt the direct primary election to choose its candidates for the 2019 general election.

The decision was reached on Tuesday night at the national caucus meeting of the party which took place in the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to a source in attendance, the decision was reached after robust debates among members. It was attended by leaders of the party including national officers, state governors, former state governors, minister and National Assembly members.

A former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, and his Akwa Ibom State counterpart, Godswill Akpabio,  who recently left the Peoples Democratic Party for the APC attended the meeting for the first time.

Others in attendance included Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the party’s national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; a national leader of the party, Ahmed Tinubu; and a former interim chairman, Bisi Akande.

State Governors at the meeting included those of Borno, Jigawa, Niger, Plateau, Kogi, Adamawa, Ondo, Kano, Ogun, Oyo, Katsina, Osun, Yobe, Nasarawa, Kebbi and Lagos.

Others included Femi Gbajabiamila, Martin Elechi, former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff;  former Lagos State Governor, Buba Marwa;  Lawrence Onoja, Jim Nwobodo, Kabiru Gaya, former APC National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun; former Enugu State Governor, Sylva Chime; former Edo State Governor, Osarieme Osunbor; former Senate President, Ken Nnamani; former Ekiti State Governor,  Niyi Adebayo; Sylva Timipre, Don Etiebet, and Lai Mohammed.

Others were Senate leader, Ahmed Lawal; Hope Uzodinma, Godswill Akpabio, and Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, among others.

The ministers in attendance included Ministers of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; Power, Works and Housing, Raji Fashola; and Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, among others.

The source said that the issue of mode of primaries was thoroughly debated. The Neighbourhood gathered that President Muhammadu Buhari, National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and other leaders of the party also agreed and insisted on direct primaries. The Caucus however, agreed that would any states want indirect primary would have to get their State Executive body to write to the national body, a request that would be up to the NEC to agree to or not depending on the reasons given.

APC has fixed its presidential primaries for September 23. Meanwhile, the NEC, which is scheduled to meet in Abuja on Thursday, August 30, is expected to ratify the decisions reached by the national caucus.