APC Constitution Allows For Direct, Indirect Primaries – Ambode

Akinwunmi Ambode, the governor of Lagos State, on Tuesday stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s Constitution supports both direct or indirect primaries.

It is obvious that the party stakeholders are at disparity as regards which to adopt.

Ambode opines that the party members will be fine with any of the methods the party leaders decides to adopt as long as the members are allow to chose the leader they want.

The governor made this known while fielding questions from journalist at the APC national caucus meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Asked if the issue of direct or indirect primaries was resolved, he said, “The fact remains that the constitution of our party allows us to carry out our primaries and elections using direct or indirect primaries.

“We cannot disagree with the constitution so either direct or indirect primaries, you are at liberty to justify the choice you want to pick, once it suits your purpose and in line with constitution as the state determines.

“The whole essence is for us to deepen democracy and also allow our members to participate in this whole process. The idea is once you have party members that are able to take decisions on who should represent them, I think we would have gone a step higher and better than other parties, that makes us a better party.” he said

Also speaking at the event, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who was attending such meeting for the first time stated that the decision made by the caucus will be beneficial to the party and to the nation.

He said, “The meeting went very well and a lot of topical issues were discussed bothering on the interests of the nation. The resolutions are fantastic and I believe that the resolutions will not only move the party forward but will help to alleviate the situation in the country today and Nigerians will be happy for it.”

On what is uncommon about APC, he said, “Well, you want me to talk from the position of an opposition leader before? Let me say that the first thing you need to know about the APC, from the point of view of leadership, I am quite impressed; the President has kept his integrity intact.

“He has been able to improve the image of Nigeria and restore a lot of respect to Nigeria from the international community.

“I can assure you that he alone can attract millions of people, he is that infectious. Of course his stance on corruption and that Nigerians have food on their table is something that is applauded all over the world.

“I have also advocated that he also fights the twin brother of corruption that is poverty.

“I am joining the APC as a government to stabilize the government and to assist the government to create employment opportunities for Nigerians so that we can fight the twin brother to corruption, which is poverty.

“Poverty creates corruption and corruption deepens poverty, so we need to fight the two together. And that is one of the things I find attractive with the APC and believe me with my people in Akwa Ibom State, with my presence in the APC my people in South South have now seen the light and they say APC is the party to vote for come 2019,” he added.