By Marie-Therese Nanlong, David Odama, Peter Okutu, Dennis Agbo, Bala Ajiya & Omezia Ajayi
…As party chieftains revolt in statesNational Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, last night, read riot act to state executives of the party, saying they risk being sacked should they compromise in the forthcoming primaries of the party.
…As party chieftains revolt in statesNational Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, last night, read riot act to state executives of the party, saying they risk being sacked should they compromise in the forthcoming primaries of the party.
This came as he also said the National Working Committee, NWC, reserved the right to disband any state executive who goes contrary to the guidelines of the exercise, urging them to resist the temptation from powerful politicians in their domain.
His charge came as some of the party’s major chieftains in many state chapters took opposite positions on the finality of the decision to adopt direct or indirect primaries.
Some governors affected by the decision to use direct primaries are said to be mounting pressure on the national leadership of the party, but party officials disclosed, yesterday, that the decision would not be reversed, irrespective of the pressure.
Addressing state chairmen at the national secretariat, Wednesday night, Oshiomhole also frowned at conflicting reports from the states, adding that the business of the state executives should not be confused with their personal preferences, particularly in states where there are more than one aspirants contesting positions.
He said: “If you do that and it is not going to be secret, we will, without any hesitation disband the entire executive. The NWC has the power without giving reason to disband any executive, which in its opinion is no longer fit and competent to represent the party in your respective states.
“There is only one party known to law, and that is the APC. So, please, resist any temptation.”
A party source disclosed, yesterday, that the major reason that guided the decision to adopt direct or indirect primaries for the selection of candidates for the 2019 election depended on the unanimity of stakeholders and aspirants on the issue.
In some other cases, like in Rivers State, the party leadership, it was learned, used local circumstances to guide it in making its decision.
Party chieftains revolt in states
ONDO
Chairman of the mainstream of the party in Ondo State, Ade Adetimehin, while arguing against the direct primary that was proposed by the national executives, said: “Ondo State government is in dire need of all the money it could garner to boost its agricultural vision, educational programmes, and infrastructural development.
“The thinking of the chapter is to embrace a lawful option that would unite the party ahead of the main elections, rather than plunge it into avoidable crisis.”
However, while welcoming the decision on direct primary, the factional state chairman, Otitube ldowu, said: “We are committed to direct primary because it holds the key to the unity of APC in Ondo State.’’
KWARA
The issue also divided Kwara State chieftains of the party as the elders’ forum of the party in Kwara has rejected the purported adoption of the indirect mode of primaries by the national leadership of the party for the state to pick candidates of the party.
Spokesperson of the elders of the party, Alhaji Lasisi Jimoh, argued that instead of using indirect, the national leadership should adopt direct primaries and allow all the aspirants to show their popularity among themselves, stressing that this will give all the aspirants a level playing ground.”
ADAMAWA
The tendency against Governor Mohammed Jibrilla-led mainstream of the party has expressed its reservation over the decision to use indirect primary, saying it was connivance by the governor, who he said, would fail at the primaries.
Alhaji Bappa Waziri, a senatorial aspirant from the Babachir Lawal-led faction of the party, said under the indirect primary adopted for the state, stakeholders not loyal to the governor would not be given positions.
DELTA
Four of the five governorship aspirants in the state, namely Prof. Patrick Utomi, Victor Ochei, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, Chief Okotie Osiobe, have opted for direct primaries in the state, while Chief Great Ogboru has chosen indirect system.
Speaking on the decision by the national executive of the party, Ojougboh, said: “The decision was taken just yesterday (Tuesday), we are considering and looking at the party from the ward to the state level. Looking at our chances viz-a-viz direct and indirect and in a day or two, we would know where we are.’’
A leader of the party from Delta North, Chief Hyacinth Enuha, said: “Four of five of the gubernatorial aspirants opted for direct primaries and only one opted for indirect so what is the basis for giving it to the one out of five?”
ENUGU
Factional chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, Okey Ogbodo, has rejected the method of indirect primaries election imposed on the state chapter.
He faulted the party headquarters’ allocation of indirect primaries to the state, noting that it was the rule of the party that in any state there was factional crisis, such a state would go for direct primaries.
But one of the governorship aspirants in the state, Mr. Ifeanyi Nwoga, said the state could not go through direct primaries, noting that the state structure does not have the logistics to carry on with direct primaries.
In Yobe, Benue and Ebonyi states, party officials said they were united in the decision to adopt indirect primaries.
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