Like its counterparts in other states across the country, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has reached a consensus to choose the party’s flag bearers in the coming general elections through direct primary system.
The national leader of the party and a former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, made the pronouncement alongside other leaders of the party last week at the party’s secretariat in Lagos.
The development, although, was aimed at giving room to the practice of true and grassroots democracy in the party in Lagos State, political pundits are beginning to ask questions on whether Tinubu’s submission on this system will not amount to beginning of his reign as Lagos political ‘alfa and omega’.
Tinubu, as a national leader, has demonstrated to be a democrat in high rank. Therefore, the decision is not about him, it’s about stabilising democracy
Tinubu, in Nigeria’s modern democracy, is believed to be the aristocrat of Lagos State politics despite his enormous role at the national level.
While making the announcement of the new development, Tinubu postulated that the essence of adopting the direct primary system was to give the party back into the hands of its grassroots members.
“We are going to embrace that in which the party is going back to the owners of the party, and that is you, the people. It is not we the few; it is we the people. We have embraced democracy and you have your decisions to be made but you have to be members of our party in the first place,” Tinubu had said.
However, it was gathered that the party’s executives and Tinubu’s decision on the adoption of the direct primary system was purposely to dowse the internal wrangling in the party, especially from the camp of the party’s former national legal adviser, Dr. Muiz Banire.
According to a source in the party, Banire’s group had been demanding for direct primary system to determine the party’s flag bearers in the coming general elections. It was further gathered that their motive was to reduce Tinubu’s power in the party in Lagos State.
“We all know that there are some moles in our party in Lagos State just as we have them at the national level. They believed that the conclusion of our leaders on direct primaries was an answered prayer for them because they have been demanding for it. And I can tell you that they believed that through it Asiwaju’s dominance will be curtailed while they have their ways. But I can tell you that the coming electioneering will tell. I am not holding talk for Tinubu, but I am telling you about the conspiracy in our party. You all saw what happened during the state congress. But like I said earlier, time will tell”,” a former State House member said, on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, following the announcement on the direct primary system, a group that is regarded as the political apparatus of a former national legal adviser of the party, Banire, United Action for Change, is claiming victory for the decision, saying it forced Tinubu to accept the adoption of direct primaries for election in the Lagos chapter of the party.
The national coordinator of the group, Niyi Akinsiju, while speaking over the development said the UAC instigated the agitation for the acceptance of transparent party primaries for the nomination of candidates of all political parties.
Venues for primaries must be publicised and known to all, and officials that will conduct and manage the process must be neutral, independent and acceptable to all aspirants
Niyi also expressed doubt if a free and fair primaries will be achieved in the party.
“It is not yet Uhuru as there is a huge difference between the pronouncement and actually conducting a credible primary which is the reason why we advise more vigilance on the part of the members of the party and the general public who are supposed to benefit from effective enthronement of democracy in our society,” he said.
Contending further, he advised that adequate measures must be put in place for an acceptable direct primaries in the state.
He also made a case for a credible and updated membership register.
“This must be displayed well ahead of the primaries. Aspirants must agree on the integrity of the register before its use. Venues for primaries must be publicised and known to all and officials that will conduct and manage the process must be neutral, independent and acceptable to all aspirants,” he demanded.
”There must be logistic support, sufficient to cater for the exercise. Security must be watertight, particularly in areas of volatility. INEC must be given sufficient notice to ensure effective monitoring of the entire process and recording of results and announcements as part of their supervisory
role.”
Other requirements of the group as postulated by Asiwaju include the fact that “the media must complement the process to guarantee its credibility. “
According to the group, “Appeal process, populated by credible personalities acceptable to all aspirants must be put in place and that proper identification cards of members must be issued to members.”
The group maintained that it is only upon the “fulfillment of these conditions that a credible primary can be said to have taken place otherwise it would constitute a shameful sham,” adding, “ We, as a group, shall continue to monitor the process and raise the red flag whenever we deemed necessary.”
Meanwhile, stakeholders in Lagos politics have begun to ventilate their views on the likely effect of the development on the former governor of the state.
A women leader of the party in Lagos State, Honorable Ola Williams, while speaking with our correspondent, said the newly-adopted system will further reveal Tinubu’s might in politics.
According to her, the former Lagos state leader is already a household name in
Lagos .
“No matter which system that is adopted by our party, Asiwaju’s desire will always be done. This is not bordering on dominance, but his good deeds that are already registered in the lives of people across the country. I don’t have much to say, let us wait and see, I will call your attention to it during election,” Williams said.
An elder stateman and member of Afenifere group, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, in his comment, said Tinubu on such decision has trailed the path of righteousness.
“Tinubu has chosen to toe the line of true democracy, act of sanity and righteousness and I commend him on the decision. And I hope he will be recognized for this. He should also think with carefulness on other issues before him in this country,” Adebanjo said.
A former Lagos state House of Assembly member, Honorable Hakeem Masha, while speaking with our correspondent, said the national leader has nothing to lose with the development.
“For him to make such announcement, it means he has keyed into it and he is committed to it. He believes he is not the owner of the party but the people. He believes that the success of the party is not for him but for the people. He has taken democracy beyond himself and that is the meaning of what he demonstrated. And I don’t see him going down after allgning with the desire of the grassroots people,” Masha said.
The immediate past chairman of Lagos APC, Chief Henry Ajomale, said Tinubu has laid down personal interest for democracy to thrive in Nigeria. He added that the step of the party’s national leader will reduce different acrimony in the party in Lagos
state.
“The issue here is not about Tinubu but democracy. The adoption of the direct primary will definitely reduce acrimony in the party. It means the party is giving back to the public to determine its fate in the coming general elections. Tinubu as a national leader has demonstrated to be a democrat in high rank. Therefore, the decision is not about him, it’s about stabilising democracy,”
Ajomale said.
