APC to Make Direct Primaries Optional

Challenged by current realities, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has concluded plans to make direct primaries – choosing party candidates through voting by all members – optional.

THISDAY learnt that two major reasons were behind the decision, namely, the fear of a backlash from insistence on direct primaries, considering the closeness of elections, and the cost implication of involving all members in primary elections.

Consequently, the APC leadership, at a recent National Working Committee (NWC) meeting, decided to throw the issue open, thereby leaving the choice of what method to embrace to the leaders of the party at the state level, in most cases, the governors.

Although the APC leadership had planned to use direct primary to elect all its candidates for the 2019 general election, it reckoned that the choice came with consequences, which, if not managed properly, could hurt the party at the polls.

THISDAY, August 26, 2018

 

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