Since the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, especially the ‘Nomination of candidates by parties,’ arguments are made in support or against the prospects of direct primary being the substantive process of nominating candidates by the political parties. The bill has become contentious among the political parties and politicians.
The Section 87 of the bill reads, “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Bill shall hold direct primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which shall be monitored by the Commission.”
It continues, “The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions by direct primaries shall ensure that all aspirants are given equal opportunity of being voted for by members of the party and given opportunity to have agents for the purpose of monitoring the primaries.”
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has voiced their opposition to this bill which is awaiting President Buhari’s assent into law.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP responded, “Our party holds that it is the inalienable right of each political party, within the context of our constitutional democracy, to decide its form of internal democratic practices including the processes of nominating its candidates for elections at any level…the PDP also believes that no political party should force its own processes on any other political party as the direct primaries amendment, a practice of the APC sought to achieve.”
Some governors have also urged the president not to sign the bill into law.
The Act earlier held that, “A political party seeking to nominate candidates for elections under this Act shall hold direct or indirect primaries for aspirants to all elective positions, which may be monitored by the Commission.”
Leading to the 2019 elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) sought to conduct the party primaries using the direct primary. It was greeted by controversies but the party arrived at conducting its presidential primary using the direct primary while states organised their primaries according to their peculiarity and choice. The presidential direct primary was not without its own problems.
The PDP, through the inclusion of direct primary in the amendment of the Electoral Act, see it as APC trying to foist its party’s process on the country. With the new bill, if signed into law, direct primary will become a law.
Direct primary involves all card carrying members of the party in the selection of the candidates while indirect primary involves the use of delegates.
Since the return of democracy, the indirect primary has been the system of selection of candidates by various political parties. While it is cheaper to conduct, it has with it a lot of problems.
Nigerians have become used to the indirect primary that the prospects of making direct primary a law is being contentious. One of the reasons that Nigerians identified setting the country back is leadership and that includes the selection process.
Over the years, the process of nominating candidates through the delegates has been wrought with a lot of controversies. Each aspirant would like to have influence over the list of delegates, while the party chieftains also hold influence on choice of candidates. Some of these delegates are sometimes greatly influenced. This process often left the people at the mercy of the choices of the delegates and party chieftains which often attracted intra-party misunderstandings.
With direct primary, the candidates are voted for by the party members even as it is expensive to run. As the president has written the INEC for further explanations on the bill, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has indicated readiness to implement the law. He said, “The commission will give expeditious consideration to the law, including the detailed regulations and guidelines for its implementation where necessary.”
Sometime ago, a video was circulated on social media where the person counting the voters kept jumping over numbers to arrive at his desired count. Such and more will be expected in a direct primary but the positive aspect of it is that with time, it may enthrone issue based campaigns and politics where the aspirants will strive to convince the voters and no longer resort to influencing the delegates. The party members will also begin to make it their obligation to vote in visionary candidates and vote out mediocre representatives.
It will ensure good democracy where the people are an integral part of the process that reduces the influence of godfathers.
The two processes are achievable but making direct primary a law towards the upcoming general elections will be expensive and highly controversial as it will seem the proponents of the direct primary have perfected how it will favour them as they push for it. It would be good to start with the states and learn and grow from that. If it is proven to be the best, Nigerians will readily embrace it.
Direct primary could deepen the democratic process as people participate and at the same time claim their power of nominating who leads them. That will be a positive development.
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