…as party delegates battle Oshiomhole
- It’ll help eliminate money politics, party chair insists
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, currently in a battle of wits with some chieftains of the party, is assuredly on a war path with delegates of the party nationwide, The Point’s investigations have revealed.
This time round, the bone of contention is the party chairman’s decision to use direct voting for the party’s primary elections as against delegates’ voting, which has been its tradition.
The direct voting system, widely touted as Option A4-reminicient of the system under the General Ibrahim Babangida’s transition programme of the early 1990s, by-passes the delegates in the election of party flagbearers and gives voting right to all card-carrying members of the party.
Oshiomhole, shortly after he took over as chairman of the party, implemented the direct voting policy in the APC governorship primary in Osun State, which was widely adjudged as successful.
Though it was believed that the system created a plain ground for every card-carrying member of the party to have a stake in who becomes the party’s flagbearer in the coming governorship election in the state, but findings have revealed that the new development in the party has whirled up some internal wrangling.
In Osun State where the system was first put to test, some of the party’s stalwarts complained that it was an attempt to ridicule and render the party’s delegates across the state. They also argued that the system, if not reversed, would generate another problem in the party ahead of 2019 general election.
One of the party stalwarts from Osun State, Chief Adebayo Fatai, said the party leadership shouldn’t have considered an Option A4 now, especially at a time that the party has several issues on ground to deal with ahead of 2019.
“It was not a bad development because we saw it in Osun here, but the fact is that, at this time, it will be bringing more grudges among our members.
We don’t need issues that will bring misunderstanding in this party again. At a time like this, unity is very paramount. We cannot afford to keep losing people to the opposition,” Fatai said.
HOW OSUN APC YOUTHS REJECTED OPTION A4
Meanwhile, the APC youths, in a petition addressed to the national secretariat of the party, before the recent primaries, had kicked against the move by the National Working Committee to adopt the direct primaries option.
The youths enjoined the party to retain the tradition of picking its candidates using the delegates system.
The petition was signed by 27 youths, including seven from Osun Central and 10 each from West and South.
“We, the undersigned Osun All Progressives Congress Forum of Local Government Youth Leaders, call the attention of national leaders to the current insinuation being championed by a smaller unit of the party to organise an open balloting system, otherwise known as Option A4.
“Our position is clear; the party should have gone ahead with the delegates system to pick the gubernatorial candidate as done in Kogi, Edo, Ondo, and Anambra states, and recently in Ekiti State,” one of the group leaders, Taofek Adetunji, said.
Also, Hon. Amobi Akintola, a chieftain of the party, called on the National Working Committee of the party to revert the proclamation of direct party primaries for the conduct of the election without delay, to avoid devastating effect for the party.
The Districts, according to Akintola, demanded for the use of delegates system for picking the party’s flagbearer not for selfish but only to ensure the representation of teaming and committed members of the party in the choice of their candidate.
Akintola posited that delegates’ primary should be used because of the fact that there is no verifiable data base of APC members from the unit level, nor at electoral ward or state level, adding that there is no ascertained APC party members’ strength across the country.
According to him, the party membership registration has never been updated since 2014, saying that the adoption of open primaries will lead to chaos of an unimaginable magnitude which would definitely weaken the party’s strength.
HOW EKITI DELEGATES SHOT IT DOWN
Following this, some concerned delegates and leaders of the APC have also reportedly kicked against the use of Option A4.
Meanwhile, findings revealed that, under the chairmanship of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Oshiomhole’s immediate predecessor, the direct primary system was proposed in the Ekiti State governorship election primary but it was jettisoned as a result of stiff opposition from the state’s party leaders.
For instance, a group of APC leaders in Ekiti State who perceived that the system would spoil the party’s chances in the then coming governorship election, forwarded a letter to the then chairman of the electoral committee, Nasarawa’s Governor Tanko Al-Makura, and expressed serious objection to the use of the method.
Recall that security agents could not stop sponsored thugs of some aspirants from smashing ballot boxes in the full glare of TV live coverage…so how will the security agencies stop thugs in 177 wards containing about 131 towns?
The signatories to the letter include: S. A Abejide, Comrade Ade Ajayi and Chief (Mrs.) Moji Fafure for Ekiti Concerned Delegates and Leaders.
In expressing their objection then, the Ekiti APC leaders averred, “As at today, the state secretariat cannot give facts and figures on the number of APC registered members. Option A4 will be another danger for the party because the same aspirants whose agents disrupted the May 5 primaries will again mobilise thugs to the 177 wards in the state and this will be difficult for the security agents to
curtail.
“Recall that security agents could not stop sponsored thugs of some aspirants from smashing ballot boxes in the full glare of TV live coverage, despite the presence of detachment of fully armed security personnel in just one location.
“So how will security agencies stop thugs in 177 wards containing about 131 towns?” They
asked.
SYSTEM NOT ACCEPTED IN EKITI
Lending his voice to the debate, the Ekiti State chairman of APC, Chief Jide Awe, told our correspondent that the system was not accepted in the state due to issues surrounding it.
“We attempted it to be used in Ekiti primaries but it was late and the then chairman, Oyegun, did not did not accept it, along with his executives.
“So, I believed that when Oshiomhole came in, he bought into the idea. Though delegates are selected people within the party, but when you look at it, the views of the delegates may be contrary to those of the masses. So, the direct primary is the best option that speaks the majority
voice.
“Putting aside all the inadequacies of direct primaries like improper registration of members in some places, like the crowd that may not be effectively controlled during election, direct primaries is the best. It represents the largest interest of the people,” Awe defended.
On whether the delegates may feel neglected by the party, he replied, “Once it is accepted, there is no issue of delegates again, because the delegates were chosen from the ward members. They don’t own themselves but now, we need to do something, and we need to update our registration.
Awe also suggested that APC nationwide should commit members financially to have party loyalists who will vote in the direct primary system.
Oshiomhole, while instituting the party’s adoption of direct primaries, had said that the decision was aimed at giving card-carrying members of the party a voice in whoever emerges the flagbearer.
Oshiomhole maintained that direct primaries option would stem the tide of money politics and godfatherism plaguing party politics in the country.
“We have decided that in order to ensure popular participation, in line with the provision of our party’s constitution which allows for either direct or indirect primary, the governorship election primary will be conducted on the basis of direct
primary.
“What that means is that every card-carrying member of our party will participate in the process of nominating the flagbearer of the party,” he clarified.
