President Muhammadu Buhari
The National Executive Committee rose from from a meeting on
Thursday with the adoption of direct primary to chose presidential
candidate for All Progressives Congress (APC).
President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to pick the party’s
presidential ticket for the 2019 elections as he has no major
challenger.
The APC, however, declined to adopt direct primaries for other positions.
Direct primaries involves the participation of all party members in
the selection of party candidates while indirect primaries involves use
of delegates, often party leaders at local levels and political
appointees as well as elected officials, to elect party candidates.
The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, made these known while
addressing journalists at the end of the NEC meeting on Thursday
afternoon.
The governor said states will continue with indirect primaries except when an issue of importance arises.
The decision to adopt indirect primaries may anger some of the
party’s senators, some of whom have said they would leave if such
decision is taken. Many senators fear governors who control the party
structure in their states would determine eventual candidates if
indirect primary method is adopted.
Mr Lalong said the meeting was anchored on three main points; guidelines for election, mode of election and funding.
He also noted that the APC NEC emphasised the need for unity following the gale of defection experienced.
The APC NEC meeting was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari, his deputy Yemi Osinbajo, many governors and others.
-NAN