Direct primaries: Chaos as FCT APC takes over party secretariat
Chaos erupted at the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday when aggrieved members of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of the party protested against what they described as the imposition of direct primary mode on them by the National Working Committee (NWC).
According to the protesters, FCT APC stakeholders had earlier agreed to conduct the Senate and House of Representatives primary elections through indirect and not direct, as being insisted by the NWC of the party.
They stressed that their action was ignited by the approval of direct primaries by the NWC at the APC National Secretariat.
Recall that the NWC directed all states of the federation and the FCT to either choose direct, indirect, or consensus modes of primary election, which the FCT chapter agreed on indirect primaries but the NWC later changed it.
The protesters who overwhelmed security operatives at the entrance of the APC National Secretariat in Wuse – II, Abuja pulled down the giant billboard carrying the picture of President Muhammadu Buhari and Oshiomhole mounted at the entrance of the party secretariat.
Activities at the Secretariat were grounded while the protest lasted, making staff of the party stranded with motorists and pedestrian at the popular Blantyre Street running for safety.
They carried placards with various inscriptions calling on Oshiomhole to resign as he was the agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) working for the failure of APC, threatening that there will be more show down if indirect primaries are not allowed in the FCT.
Leader of the protesters, Murtala Karish, told journalist that they were unhappy with the position of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole that direct primaries must be adopted in the FCT against the yearnings of party stakeholders.
He said: “FCT APC stakeholders and members had since settled for indirect election to elect their candidates, so we will not accept any new arrangement outside what we have agreed from the beginning”.
The protesters who dared security agents at the entrance of the secretariat located at Wuse- II in Abuja, grounded activities making all the staff and passer-by stranded even as some motorists scamper for safety.
It took the intervention of the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma who mobilized more personnel to the APC Secretariat to quell the protest which was turning violent while being present physically to calm them and seized the situation.
The protesters promised to come back if their demand is not met.
