PDP Rejects Direct Primary, Alleges Plot To Cause Internal Party Crisis

• The party stressed that such a mode of conducting primary was not operable and does not reflect the wishes and aspirations of the majority of Nigerians.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the adoption of direct primary for the nomination of candidates for elections in political parties in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill passed by the Senate is a ploy to cause internal wrangling within parties.

A statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the passage of direct primary as a retrogressive provision that seeks to wipe off the gains achieved in the nation’s electoral practice since 1999.

“The party says the decision by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Senate is a humongous blow to the development of democratic norms, and a plot to introduce anarchy during internal party elections as currently obtainable in the APC.

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“The PDP holds that the provision is aimed at increasing the costs of nomination procedures thereby surrendering the processes to money bags against the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians.

“Our party makes bold to state that with the exception of the APC, which intends to deploy looted funds in future elections, hardly will there be any political party that will be able to raise the cost of conducting internal elections under a direct primary process,” the party said.

For the PDP, this is why the decision of the Senate has elicited “widespread rejection” from Nigerians across the board.

It, therefore, urged the Senate to immediately deploy its appropriate legislative instruments to reverse itself on the direct primary.

The party stressed that such a mode of conducting primary was not operable and does not reflect the wishes and aspirations of the majority of Nigerians.

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