The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved direct primary for the election to produce the party’s presidential candidate.
The NEC, however, gave states the nod to determine how governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, State House of Assembly’s candidates will emerge in their respective areas.
A standing ovation for President Buhari after delivering his remarks at the meeting.
It was learnt that the decision not to endorse direct primary for all elections might have upset the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was sighted at the APC National Secretariat yesterday.
Tinubu did not attend the meeting since he was not a member of NEC, but his presence was seen as confidence booster to those pushing for direct primaries across board.
Tinubu, who is an advocate of direct primaries, had earlier declared that the Lagos State governorship primary would be done through direct poll where each and every card carrying member would vote.
This had fuelled speculation that Tinubu might not be disposed to second term bid of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Many APC governors had earlier informed the caucus meeting of the party on Tuesday night that they preferred indirect primaries, citing security implications in their rejection of direct primaries.
APC governors at the meeting.
A source said with the decision of the NEC allowing state chapters to decide on the method of primaries to adopt, Tinubu might stand his ground on using direct primary in choosing the APC governorship candidate in Lagos State.
Many party faithful in Lagos were silent on the issue last night but it was learnt that the Ambode camp, which felt the insistence of Tinubu on direct primary was to jolt Ambode, is re-strategizing.
Tunde Rahama, Tinubu’s media aide, didn’t respond to our correspondent’s enquiry last night.
The APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, was said to have exchanged words with the party’s National Vice Chairman, North East, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, during the NEC meeting. Salihu had told journalists that the north east would adopt indirect primaries, which goes against the wish of Oshiomhole.
The NEC meeting was attended by President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and other party leaders.
Majority supports indirect primary
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the NEC meeting yesterday, said majority of members supported indirect primaries.
President Buhari, right, in handshake with Tinubu, at the meeting.
Lalong, however, added that any state that opted for direct primaries must not only secure the support of the majority of the state executive committee of the party but also notify the National Working Committee (NWC) on the option adopted.
He said, “The constitution of the party provides for either direct, indirect or consensus.”
On the resolutions at the NEC meeting, Lalong said the meeting directed the NWC to work on the sequence of election for the primaries based on the comments raised and in line with the provisions of the amended Electoral Act.
The governor, who said the NEC set up a standing committee to look at general funding of the party, added that the NWC was also tasked to come up with acceptable figure for the cost of nomination forms based on views expressed at the meeting.
He said the meeting discussed the guidelines of the election, mode of election, funding and the necessity for unity within the party after the recent gale of defections.
Lalong said the NEC agreed that the defection which had not affected the party negatively had rather further strengthened the party.
When asked if the issue of automatic ticket was discussed, he said, “We discussed that; yes patriotic and loyal members should be rewarded but not necessarily with automatic ticket. We are saying some senators, our senators who are patriotic, who are supposed to be taken away, were all kept in the party. So, all states should look at it and then we will find ways of rewarding them. But election is giving option to everybody to contest election.”
Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, in his contribution to the issue of automatic ticket, said “People refer to issue of automatic ticket to governors and legislators. In our party, we have reward system. You surely don’t throw away a loyal party man. You will not punish a loyal party man. We will always support and reward those legislators who were supposed to have been taken away in a deceitful manner but stood by Mr President, with the country, those that are patriotic to this party and this country, surely will be rewarded in one way or the other.”
When asked to comment on how the party would cope with conducting direct primary for presidential election with the logistics amid the ongoing membership registration, Lalong said, “We were given assurance by those doing the exercise. We have started an online registration in the different states now and we now have assurance that in the next two weeks, we should be able to have all the people and of course a register.
APC must get its internal dynamics right – Buhari
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has underscored the need for the APC to get its internal dynamics right and march as a team towards the 2019 general elections.
President Buhari, in his remarks at the first NEC meeting after the National Convention, urged all members to play the game according to the rules as they faced the primaries.
“Let us come out with free, fair, and credible primaries, which will be a precursor to free, fair, and credible general elections next year. Let us shine the light through our primaries, and the rest of the country will find the way.
“Our primaries must be in complete compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Electoral Act and above all the constitution of our great party, APC,” he also said.
Buhari, who enjoined members to all join hands to move the party forward and take the party to the next level by supporting the NWC, said the current period required unity, harmony and togetherness.
He said despite defections, APC remains in control of the National Assembly.
Read details of President Buhari’s and Oshiomhole’s remarks:
REMARKS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MUHAMMADU BUHARI, PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AT THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC) HELD AT THE PARTY SECRETARIAT, AUGUST 30, 2018
PROTOCOLS
- I welcome everyone gathered here today for the first meeting of the newly-elected National Executive Committee of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), after the National Convention held in June, 2018.
- The new NEC members assumed duties at very critical and challenging times. With General Elections coming in early 2019 any political party worth its salt must get its internal dynamics right, and march as a team towards a decisive time as that of major elections in a country.
- Today, we are meeting to look at some major decisions that will get us ready for an excellent performance at the polls next year, starting with party primaries at various levels. I urge you all to ensure that decisions taken here today are those that will avail the good of the party, and ones that meet the yearnings and expectations of our teeming members and supporters nationwide. They look up to us for guidance, and we must not disappoint or fail them.
- Let me congratulate the current leadership of our party, led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The team emerged at a most turbulent time, when there were rumours and speculations of massive defection, in a way to possibly rock the very foundations of the party.
- Despite conciliatory attempts to keep the house together, some members were hell-bent on pulling down the roofs. They left, plotting to go along with scores of people, thus upsetting the apple cart. But due to the yeoman’s work by the new party leadership, the exit barely made a dent in our superstructure, as they could not muster the figures they had envisaged to cause an upset, particularly in the two chambers of the National Assembly. APC remains in control, and increases by the day, with quality people joining our fold. I say congratulations to the new NEC members.
- Hope is rekindled in our hearts that we will give our country purposeful leadership that will improve the quality of lives of the people. We will continue to secure the country, fight graft, and position the economy in a way that jobs can be provided for our youths, and give them a future and a hope.
- We will fulfill all the promises we have made to Nigerians. We are fulfilling them, and will continue to serve with heart and might, to build a nation where peace, justice, and prosperity shall reign.
- As we stand at the threshold of party primaries, I urge all and sundry to ensure that we play the game according to the rules. Let us come out with free, fair, and credible primaries, which will be a precursor to free, fair, and credible General Elections next year. Let us shine the light through our primaries, and the rest of the country will find the way.
- Our primaries must be in complete compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Electoral Act and above all the constitution of our great party, APC.
- The times in which we are call for unity, harmony and togetherness. Let us all join hands to move the party forward. We must take our party to the next level, and I urge all and sundry to give support to our National Working Committee.
- Thank you very much, God bless our party and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
REMARKS BY THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS (APC), H.E. COMRADE ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE AT THE PARTY’S 6TH NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (NEC) ON THURSDAY 30TH AUGUST, 2018 AT THE PARTY’S NATIONAL SECRETARIAT IN ABUJA.
PROTOCOLS
We are very proud to say that upon our assumption of office, we have won nearly all the elections that have taken place particularly the ones at the states, senatorial and House of Representatives. The first task before us was the election in Ekiti state and under President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership, the Party won the governorship election in Ekiti state and your former Minister who your Excellency graciously relieved of his appointment to enable him go back to his state to serve his people, was elected. Mr President, you played a huge role in the electioneering campaign leading to that election. It is also worthy of note that we received enormous contributions from a number of governors led by the Kebbi state Governor who virtually ‘decamped’ from Kebbi to Ekiti state.
After our elections, we worked hard to meet with people from the states who had issues arising from the congresses and we reassured them that we would treat every case on its merit and I believe that we have done a lot of that and will continue to do what we have to do to ensure that there is peace and unity in the state chapters.
We also had meetings with the APC caucus in the Senate and thereafter we had a meeting with the APC caucus in the House of Representatives. At those meetings, we reassured everyone that as a Party that is democratic, there will be issues and contestations but that the most important thing is for us to be able to see through the issues.
I am happy to report that as a result of those engagements, many senators and members of the House of Representatives renewed confidence in our Party. But those who were determined to leave, left not on account of what anybody has done wrong against them, but on account of an ambition they believe they cannot realize on our platform, even though they were not denied the opportunity to try out that ambition, but perhaps because they could read like an oracle what the future would be particularly as people have contested before when we didn’t have any incumbent. Some who had dollars gave and Mr. President said I don’t have, But even if I have, I won’t give, but will offer honest leadership. At the end, the President won, but the victory did not purge those with that ambition and they were determined that they must contest and they were free to do that. I had thought that by the provisions of our party constitution, they had the right to contest and that right was not going to be denied them. But reflecting on what has happened in the past and reading the minds of party members and leaders, they came to the conclusion that the only way they can realize their ambition was to relocate and they relocated. Of course, for distant observers, they think that this is a huge blow to our party.
I made a comment which seems to have been misunderstood in some quarters, when I said that if some individuals of no particular fixed political address decide to leave, I will not lose my sleep. I speak of no particular fixed address because if you have a history of moving every season from one political party to the other with one constant thing in mind, to contest, now what is your political address? So, for people like that who are migrant politicians, rolling stone politicians, I am not able to identify their political address and therefore, I refuse to miss my sleep. But some people said this was arrogant, but we also need to be blunt. What can you do about someone who feels that in every election, he must contest and if he cannot win he must decamp? Some have decamped as many times as the many elections that has taken place since 1999.
I also made commitment on behalf of the leadership of the Party that everyone who have grievances, no matter the nature of those grievances, arising from genuine misunderstanding, arising from communication gap, arising from conflict of interest, our responsibility is to help this Party to find common ground and do genuine reconciliation, play up what unite us, down play what divides us so that together, we can continue to work together within the Party and address issues that affect our vision. I am proud that most of the people who have such issues have confidence that the Party will listen and we have listened and have resolved a lot of the issues.
Today, I am sure that many of our Senators, House of Representatives members and leaders across the country who have issues have seen that the issues are being resolved and now have greater confidence in the activities of our Party. I will continue to assure them that we will not pretend that there will be no conflict tomorrow. What we promise is that as they arise, God will give us the wisdom, patience and courage to do justice and make them feel comfortable within the family of the APC.
But as I reflect, I stumbled on a quote which may interest the President and it summarizes what has happened. Chief Obafemi Awolowo said: ‘For the Progressives to be in power, they need the support and collaboration of some Conservatives. After attaining power, the conservatives would on their own, walk away. The Progressives would now build a great party that would move the nation forward’. Mr. President, the Conservatives have moved away.
So, Mr. President, this was bound to happen because when we promised change, we all sang it, but it meant different things to different people. To some, it was to bring change that will lead to more of the same, but for the Nigerian people, they knew that change meant change from a political order that services only the political elites at the expense of the poor and the masses. They did not realize that the change meant that there must be a relationship between efforts and reward. They did not appreciate that change meant regardless of your position in the system, if you commit a criminal offence or you are involved in serious criminal allegations to the extent that the Nigerian people whose will is reflected in our constitution did not shield you from investigation, we shall provide the political leadership to ensure that every Nigerian, regardless of the status is under the law.
When it became clear that this change cannot allow business as usual, the Conservatives left on their own. Our party is stronger, smarter, more cohesive and there is no better evidence than the fact we have won almost all the major elections after their departure. That is not the only thing that confirms this. We have seen those going back to their community to decamp and we see uncommon defectors. But the others sat in their chambers and guest house to prepare their defection notes. Some are known to have remained in Abuja, detained by their own consciences and unable to visit their constituencies. So, I want to assure you that we have purged ourselves of excess fat that would have possibly interfered in the flow of blood in our vein. We are stronger, more determined and we are much certain of our future. We ask the President to continue to provide leadership to deal with the vices that has detained Nigeria in the last few years and which seem to explain the paradox that has detained Nigeria, a country that is so rich and its people so poor.
Those who submit to change, in spite of their past still have a chance to play a role in the commitment to rebuild the nation and ensure it offers hope to every citizen.
Mr. President, you are the only one who has had the courage to look at Western leaders eye ball to eye ball and ask them to return our stolen money. If you have stolen money in their vault, you would not have the courage to say so. None of your predecessors have had the courage to say so in the manner that you did. Those are things we are proud of and they give us courage and confidence that Nigerians will not be fooled come 2019.
