Lagos gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, have written to the national leadership of the party, insisting on the adoption of direct primary to pick a candidate for the 2015 election.
The move is an indication that the aspirants have rejected the indirect primary being mulled by the party.
In a letter to the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and other members of the National Working Committee, they pointed out that the indirect primary was at variance with the electoral act.
The aspirants, who signed the letter include Dr Leke Pitan, Dr Femi Hamzat, Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Hon Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Dr Tola Kasali, Mr Tokunbo Wahab and Mr Olasupo Shasore among others.
According to them, the party’s constitution states that the local governments shall be defined as listed in the 1999 Nigerian Constitution which, for Lagos State, is listed as 20 local governments.
They expressed concern that the conceived indirect primaries (as presently constituted) could lead to agitation, tension and litigation and may even ultimately deprive the party from presenting a valid candidate for the general election in February 2015.
To avert imminent crisis in the party, they recommended that the party leadership immediately review the indirect primaries scheduled to commence December 2 and particularly on December 4, 2014 – with a view to its suspension.
“Our party should seek special consideration to conduct direct primaries rather than the indirect delegate-based primaries and/or commence consensus building exercise amongst all aspirants in order to effect a smooth affirmation of candidates.
“We believe that both direct primaries and consensus building can be concluded within the INEC timetable”, they said.
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