PDP kicks against Senate’s adoption of direct primaries by political parties

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has voiced its opposition to the approval of direct primaries by political parties by the Senate.

According to the main opposition party, this mandate will increase the costs of nomination procedures.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja.

The statement reads, “The PDP holds that the provision is aimed at increasing the costs of nomination procedures, thereby surrendering the processes to money bags against the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians.

“Many political parties might not be able to raise the cost of conducting internal elections under a direct primary process.

“The PDP, therefore, urges the Senate to immediately deploy its appropriate legislative instruments to reverse itself on the direct primary as it is not practicable,” he said.

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Ripples Nigeria had reported on Tuesday that the Senate approved direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions.

This followed the consideration and approval of a motion on “Re-Committal of Some Clauses of the Electoral Act repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2021”, passed on July 15.

The chamber approved Clause 87 to read “a political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this bill shall hold direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the commission”.

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