Alhaji Yakubu Muhammed Jacob, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State, has called on the national leadership of the party and other key stakeholders to ensure that all states adopt direct primaries ahead of the 2019 election.
In a statement on Wednesday, Muhammed Jacob noted that direct party primaries will help APC to consolidate its strength and ensure justice and fairness for party aspirants and members.
The APC chieftain was reacting to the decision of the Lagos chapter to conduct direct primary elections for all positions.
He said: “It is good that the National Leader of our great party Senator Bola Tinubu has announced that party primaries in Lagos will be direct. He has shown leadership and commitment to putting the power of choosing leaders fully in the hands of the people.
“It is our hope that all states, especially where APC has a stronghold will follow the footsteps of Lagos and ensure direct primary elections.
“Direct governorship primary election conducted in Osun state had set the pace. What happened in Osun had shown it is possible and can work across all states.
“Now that Lagos state is also going to pick candidates through direct primary elections shows the system can work and will ensure that power rightly belongs to the people, not some few handpicked individuals called ‘delegates’.”
Muhammed Jacob added that the option is the only way of sustaining harmony within the party, pointing out that on many occasions disagreements from the way and manner party primaries are conducted are the major cause of internal conflicts.
“We want direct party primaries to be the new policy across all states. We want direct party primaries in Yobe state.
“Party leadership must insist and keep to the new direction of the leadership under Comrade Adams Oshiomhole which places more priority on transparency and putting people at the centre of policies. This is also in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s politics of people first.
“Direct primary elections will also boost party membership as more people will be more interested in registering as members if they know that they have a chance to use their membership to decide who would lead them at levels of governance.”
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