2019: Oshiomole, APC Governors Decides On Mode Of Primaries

The leadership of the ruling All Progressive Congress, has reviewed its stand on deciding the mode of primary for the selection of candidates for the 2019 elections due to pressure from the Governor’s elected on the platform of the party.

The step was taken after a meeting that lasted for more than three hours between the APC National Chairman and the party’s 22 governors at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, on Wednesday night.

Recall that the party had announced after its last meeting that the dirct mode of primary will be employed in selecting candidates.

Report had it that members of the National Assembly had insisted on the direct mode, arguing that the indirect method was easily manipulated by governors who could manipulate delegates.

However, Governors, had insisted on indirect primaries despite Adams Oshiomhole‘s announcement about direct primaries. however the presidential primary will, be by the direct mode.

After Wednesday’s meeting, Oshiomhole told reporters, “My task and the task of the party is clear. We have a tradition as a progressive party to submit ourselves to the dictates of our party and we believe in internal democracy because we are democrats and democracy must begin from within the house before we can do it outside.

“Our task is very simple, obey the rules of the party, obey the rules of fairness, obey the rules of natural justice and that is what we mean when we talk about free and fair primaries.

“Number two, we have spoken on this before, it is not a new decision that our constitution consciously provided for flexibility.

“First to reflect the diversity of our great country and also to try to give expression to the entire essence of federalism which allows different states to look at their own situation and advice the NWC as to what works better for them provided that in all cases, the process is democratic, the rules are fair, the officiating officials are impartial.“