..2019: Borno APC adopts indirect primaries for state elections

5th September 2018

Romanus Ugwu, Abuja, Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri and Noah Ebije, Kaduna


The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State has adopted indirect system for the conduct of its forthcoming party primaries, arguing that the system best suits the state’s peculiarities.

This was the submission of critical stakeholders of the party during a meeting in Maiduguri, yesterday, with party leaders, present and past members of the  National and State Assemblies, past deputy governors and chieftains of the party in attendance.

Chairman of APC in the state, Bukar Dalori,  while addressing the stakeholders, said the  party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had given the state chapters the latitude to choose either direct or indirect primaries.

“These are the critical stakeholders of our party in Borno State and the position of the state working committee is the use of indirect primaries,” Dalori said.


Leader of the House of Representatives, Borno caucus, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, said the caucus was in “full concurrence with the decision of the stakeholders,” adding that the NWC was in line with the thinking of Borno APC.

Abubar Kyari,  who represents Borno North in the Senate, said the peculiarities of Borno, especially the insecurity, could make direct primaries a big challenge.

“We don’t even have authentic lists of party members now, because of the displacement of many of our people. So, it will be difficult for anybody to use direct primaries. The indirect system is cheaper and less difficult for us,” he said.

Senator Ali Ndume,  who represents Borno South in the Senate, moved motion for the adoption of the stakeholders’ decision, which was supported by Asabe Villita, a House of Representatives member. The motion was endorsed through a “yes” vote.

Meanwhile, Senator Shehu Sani, yesterday, led a delegation of all aspirants and stakeholders of APC in  Kaduna State to the party’s national secretariat, Abuja, urging  the national leadership to adopt direct system of primaries for 2019 general elections.

Speaking after submitting a strongly worded petition to the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial district, described indirect primaries as incubator of corruption.

He warned that if the ruling party truly wants to prove to Nigerians that it is serious about fighting corruption, it should adopt the direct primaries to screen out corrupt aspirants from the primaries.