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Adoption of direct primary by the NWC
It is not possible for the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC to make such declaration because it is not within their rights. The Constitution of APC is very clear on who has the right to do so.
The party at the state level has the right to determine the mode of governorship primary election it prefers, which is subject to the last meeting (in 2018) of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of APC in Abuja, where the instruction was approved. Since then, nothing has been said by the NEC of the party. So, nothing has changed.
The NWC of APC met and recommended to NEC for approval in 2018. Since then, NEC has not met to change the decision. Members of NWC cannot on their own make an order that is compelling. To take such a crucial decision, members of NEC must meet.
To change the party’s National chairman and other vital decisions, there must be a convention, which is the highest authority. Last year when the governorship election in Kogi State took place, it was Kogi APC that took the decision on indirect primary.
So, what has changed? Edo State Executive Committee (SEC) of APC has done the right thing by opting for indirect governorship primary election. Governor Obaseki is not scared of direct primary election because he will win fair and square, but we want the right process to be followed and the right thing to be done.
We do not want to expand anybody’s ego. We want the extant law to be obeyed. We have social media governorship aspirants in Edo who are making noise to entertain their friends. Our concern is that the rule must be followed. NWC of APC cannot dictate to Edo APC on the mode of governorship primary election to use.
In this period of COVID-19, how will you put thousands of people in a place for direct governorship primary election? It is supposed to be a friendly exercise.
On the allegation that Obaseki wants to use Covid-19 as basis for indirect primary
The allegation was leveled out of ignorance, lack of deep thought and carelessness in playing politics. The state does not announce COVID-19 cases. It is purely the business of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.
The implication of the allegation is that the integrity of NCDC and PTF is being questioned. The man who made the allegation and his co-travelers ought to be invited by the Department of State Service (DSS) and other security agencies to prove the weighty allegation, because no sane person or government will play politics to that level.
NCDC and PTF on COVID-19 should also deeply probe the allegation and, if found to be true, all the people found culpable should appear in court. In the state, only the governor and the deputy governor have immunity against prosecution while in office. It is not everything that you play politics with because it affects the lives of the people. If the allegation goes out of Nigeria, it will affect the integrity of the country, which will indicate that we are playing pranks with the deadly coronavirus pandemic and that we are not serious people.
Which of the factions – Anselm Ojezua and Col David Imuse (rtd) – is authentic?
I am not aware of two factions in Edo APC. The state secretariat of the party is on Airport Road in Benin City, with Anselm Ojezua as the authentic and duly-elected Chairman. When you say a party, you should be referring to the Chairman and other members of the executive who were elected at the state congress of APC, not any other group. I know of a cultural group called Edo Peoples Movement (EPM). I am not aware of the recognition of EPM by leaders of APC at the national level. The EPM members are political pretenders. Are the EPM members registered as APC?
On the recognition of Imuse by the NWC as APC Chairman
Maybe the National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhol
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