The APC headquarters
had approved direct primary while the Edo chapter of the party wanted indirect
primary. Direct primary involves voting by all members of the party while only
delegates vote in indirect primary.
The primary is fixed
for June 22 amidst the feud between the Edo governor, Godwin Obaseki, and his
predecessor and APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.
Mr Oshiomhole is
believed to be backing another APC aspirant, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, for the party’s
ticket.
According to an INEC
statement released on Tuesday, while APC will be conducting direct primary, the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and 13 other parties have opted for indirect
primaries.
The other parties
that will conduct indirect primaries include: Action Alliance, (AA), African
Action Congress, (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic
Party (ADP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement,
(APM), All Peoples Party (APP), Labour Party (LP), Nigerian Peoples Party
(NNPP), National Resistance Movement, (NRM), Social Democratic Party (SDP),
Young Progressive Party (YPP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Festus Okoye, the
INEC spokesperson, appealed to the various political parties to conduct their
primaries in full compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and
Electoral Act 2010 law.
He also urged
political parties to “eschew violence and conduct their activities in the best
traditions of electoral democracy.”
“In accordance with
Sections 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), 15 out of the 18
registered Political Parties have notified the Commission of their intention to
conduct primaries for the purpose of nominating candidates for the Edo State Governorship
election slated for 19 September 2020.
“The Commission
appeals to the various Political Parties to conduct their primaries in full
compliance with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2010
(as amended), Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Political Party
Primaries (2018) and the INEC Police COVID-19 Pandemic of 21” May 2020.
“Conducting
Elections in the context of political parties Parties must shun all acts
capable of breaching the peace and unsettling the peace and order of the State
and jeopardizing the health and safety of party members, election officials and
observers.”
Mr Okoye added that
the “commission will work collaboratively with all the security agencies to
ensure a good electoral environment for the conduct of elections.”
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