APC N/Assembly caucus backs indirect primary in Adamawa

The Adamawa state caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, said that it supports the adoption of indirect primary to choose the party’s candidates for the 2019 general elections by the state chapter of the party in line with its constitution.

According to the caucus, it decided to back the decision of the state executive committee of the APC held at its meeting of September 3 because the resolution tallies with Section 20 of the party’s constitution.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, spokeswoman of the caucus, Senator Binta Masi Garba said that the APC national executive committee had authorized each state chapter to choose the mode of primary election best suited for it based on certain peculiarities.

Senator Binta stated that as a result the APC in Adamawa state resolved to adopt indirect primary to elect candidates for all elective positions except that of the president.

She added that the party in the state lacks an authentic and updated register of members as a result of the defection by new members into the party who may be denied the opportunity to vote or be voted for if the present register is used to conduct any primary election.

“That consequent upon the above, we know as a fact that using the present register of members will certainly affect the credibility of the outcome of the primary election.

“That members of other political parties bent on destroying the APC in Adamawa state will intentionally cause confusion by claiming membership of the party if the primary election is conducted through direct mode and without an updated register of members,” the spokeswoman said.

Moreover, the senator added that the state being one of the states experiencing security challenges as a result of the Boko Haram attacks cannot conduct peaceful primaries in some parts of local governments in the northern part of the state, including areas bordering the Sambisa Forest.

While maintaining that the caucus is not afraid of direct primaries in choosing its flag bearers, she asserted that because of the peculiar problems of the state, the risks of holding the direct primaries would be higher as party members would be exposed to attacks.

“That logistics involved in conducting the elections through indirect mode is quite cheaper compared to direct means and we are afraid of having elections which outcome will not be credible,” Senator Binta added.