The All Progressives Congress (APC)\u00a0 rose from its sixth National
\nExecutive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja with the decision
\nto elect its presidential candidate through direct primaries.<\/p>\n
The indirect option is to be used for primaries for other positions.
\nStates that however wish to use the direct primary option for the conduct
\nof their primaries can to apply to the national leadership of the party
\nwith a resolution signed by party stakeholders agreeing to the process.<\/p>\n
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong who addressed journalists after the
\nmeeting in Company of his Kogi state counterpart, Yahaya Bello announced
\nthe decision of the party.<\/p>\n
Lalong also said the meeting failed to agree on the sequence of election
\nfor its primaries and referred the issue of to the National Working
\nCommittee to decide on the matter\u00a0 putting into considerations the various
\nopinion canvassed at the meeting.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout two or three things were discussed. First, the document on the
\nguidelines for the election, the mode of elections and of course, the mode
\nof funding and the necessity for unity within the party after the gale of
\ndefections.\u201d<\/p>\n
On the issue of defection, the party unanimously agreed that it has not
\naffected us much, but has tightened the party more.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the mode of election, we all agreed that for Presidential election, we
\nare going for direct primary, but for other elections, there are two
\noptions. But the general option is that we go for indirect primary.
\n\u201cBut any state that has a problem and wants to deviate from that is at
\nliberty to write following the normal process with a resolution from their
\nstate executive seeking approval for a deviation from the agreed process.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the sequence of election, it was directed back to the NWC to look at
\nthe comments that were made and within those comment, address them in line
\nthe electoral act and bring out a time table for the sequence of election.
\nThe National Executive Committee has been given that power.
\n\u201cOn the issue of funding, a standing Committee was set to look at the
\nproper funding for party generally.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe constitution of the party provide for either direct or indirect
\nprimaries or com census. But for the presidential election, we all agreed
\nto adopt the direct option.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlso, a recommendation was made by the National Working Committee which
\nwas accepted that all the states should adopt the indirect mode of
\nelection. But there may be circumstances where it may be difficult in some
\nof the states, looking at their peculiarities.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there are such difficulties, the state will now apply following due
\nprocess after their stakeholders agreement, signed and adopted by simple
\nmajority of the party and the state executive which will now be sent to
\nthe NWC for approval.\u201d<\/p>\n
On automatic ticket for governors and legislators, he said \u201cWe didn\u2019t
\ndiscuss the issue of automatic ticket. But we discuss that patriotic and
\nloyal members should be rewarded. But not necessarily with automatic
\nticket.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of our senators who are patriotic who were supposed to be taken away
\nwere all kept. We asked all the states to look at it and we find a way to
\nreward them. But for the election, the option is given to everybody to
\nface election. So, there was nothing like automatic for anybody.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe debated the cost of nomination and left it to the National Working
\nCommittee to take into consideration some of the views expressed and come
\nout with a reasonable figure and any figure they bring out will be
\nacceptable and we don\u2019t need to come back to NEC to ratify it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Contributing, Kogi state Governor, Yahaya Bello said \u201cPeople refer to the
\nissue of automatic ticket to governors and legislators. In our party, we
\nhave reward system. You will surely not throw away a loyal party man and
\nwill not punish a loyal party man.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will always support and reward those legislators who were supposed to
\nhave been taken away in a deceitful manner but stood by Mr. President and
\nthis country. Those that are patriotic to this party and this country will
\nsurely be rewarded in one way or the other. That is not automatic ticket
\nbecause there is internal democracy and we are doing everything to promote
\nour constitution and internal democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and
\nhis deputy, Yusuf Lasun were conspicuously absent at the meeting, but
\nNational Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole explained that the party received
\ncorrespondences from the two principal officers of the House of
\nRepresentatives that they won\u2019t be able to attend the meeting.<\/p>\n
Oshiomhole said \u201cwe have apologies from the Speaker in a letter dated 27th
\nof August, 2018 that he had a previous engagement and would not be able to
\nattend the NEC meeting as he is currently out of the country. We also have
\ncorrespondence from the Deputy Speaker that he has an appointment with his
\ndoctors and won\u2019t be able to attend the meeting\u201d.<\/p>\n
Governors present include Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Senator Abiola
\nAjimobi (Oyo), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abdullahi Umar
\nGanduje (Kano), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Tanko
\nAlMakura (Nasarawa), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), Atiku Badugu (Kebbi), Sani
\nBello (Niger), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa), Rochas
\nOkorocha (Imo) and Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina)
\nGovernors Godwin Obaseki (Edo) Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos) Ibikunle Amosun
\n(Ogun) and Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) were represented by their deputies.<\/p>\n
Former governor Godswil Akpabio who recently joined the party joined his
\ncolleagues from the Senate at the NEC meeting alongside former Nasarawa
\nState Governor, Abdullahi Adamu, Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan, Senator
\nGodwin Abe, Senator Andy Ubah, Senator Binta Masi Garba, Senator Ovie
\nOmo-Agege, Senator Ben Uwajumogu among others.<\/p>\n
The Secretary to the government of the federation and the Special Adviser
\non Political matters to the President, Senator Babafemi Ojodu were also
\npresent.<\/p>\n
The All Progressives Congress (APC)\u00a0 rose from its sixth National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday in Abuja with the decision to elect its presidential candidate through direct primaries. The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":63885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n