2027: Reintroduce indirect primaries -APGA tells INEC 

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to reintroduce the indirect mode of primaries.

Ezeokenwa made this call on Tuesday on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

He was speaking on the electoral framework as the 2027 general elections get closer.

“It’s not as if you’re going to have an indirect mode of electing a candidate at an election. And so for the fact that INEC can actually conduct an election during COVID-19 era, political parties can equally conduct direct primaries.

“And so for me, that issue does not arise. But the issue that arises is the opinion of IPAC. The opinion of IPAC is that the position of the National Assembly on the mode of primaries more or less tries to stifle the growth of smaller political parties who may not have the logistics wherewithal to organize direct primaries at the last scale.

“So, when you take into consideration the nomination of something like the presidential candidate at an election where you will be conducting primaries in over 8800 Wards in the entire country, you look at all these issues.

“For me, with the logistics associated with the conduct of direct primaries, that’s the major challenge, and that is the major reason IPAC is calling on the National Assembly to reintroduce the indirect mode of primaries,” he said.

2027: Reintroduce indirect primaries -APGA tells INEC