APC: Crisis Looms as Governors Reject Direct Primaries

Six governors of the All Progressives Congress may be heading for a collision course with the leadership of the party over their alleged rejection of the direct primary option to elect candidates of the APC at all levels ahead of the 2019 general elections.

A source, who is a chieftain of the party, told our correspondent on Thursday that the six governors, on Wednesday night, met with the Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and held a private discussion with him on the issue ahead of today’s meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party.

The source who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, explained that two of the governors who met Oshiomhole are from the North Central, one from the North West, and one each from the South East, South West and North East.

The party chief said, “They told Oshiomhole that they were opposed to direct primary election. All of them, except the governor from the North East, said they have problems with their people and that there is a possibility that they and their candidates may not get the party’s ticket if they should embrace the direct primary election.

“They also expressed fears that the APC may lose their states if the party adopts the direct primary approach to pick the candidates.”

The source however said that, “The APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole was firm and resolute on the issue.”

According to him, Oshiomhole told the governors that President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu are also in full support of direct primary.

The source said that the governors therefore threatened that they may not allow direct primaries in their state and that they would restate their position at today (Thursday’s) NEC meeting of the party.

“Oshiomhole told them that if they will not allow direct primary, the party will write INEC and send the list of aspirants who are ready for the election. You can see that the battle line has been drawn as they have vowed to restate their stand at the NEC of the meeting today,”The source added.

The Punch