The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is awaiting the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari on either direct or indirect primary for the 2023 elections, IgbereTV reports.
The National Assembly has forwarded the Electoral Bill 2021 to the President for assent.
But, the direct primary has led to a sharp disagreement among the National Assembly, governors and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Although a meeting was convened at the Presidential Villa at the instance of the President to resolve the dispute over direct or indirect primary, it ended in a stalemate.
The two chambers of the National Assembly went ahead to pass the Electoral Bill 2021 into law.
The decision of the President will, however, determine the mode of primary to adopt by the electoral commission.
Yesterday, APC governors converged on Kebbi State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja, as from 8:45pm to deliberate on the contentious issue.
Former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Chief Anthony Sani, said Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors’ and lawmakers’ opposition to direct primary is devoid of morality and wisdom.
He said the direct primary would not only put an end to plutocracy and abuse of incumbency but also reduce the prevalent incidence of imposition of candidates often associated with governors and money bags during the indirect primary.
A National Commissioner of INEC, who spoke in confidence, said: “We actually do not have a choice in this matter. We are awaiting the final decision of the President.
“Any mode of primary signed into law by the President is what we will adopt.
“We will require a lot of logistics if it is direct primary. It means we have to supervise the primaries of all registered parties from Ward to Local Government, State and National levels. Certainly, we need huge resources for direct primary.
“But whatever is assented to is what we will work with, whether direct or indirect primary.”
