*Says INEC has replied President Buhari’s letter
*Direct primary will create more problems, Umahi warns
By Ezeocha Nzeh
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, has advised the National Assembly to leave out issues relating to the mode of picking candidates by political parties to the leadership of the various political parties.
The INEC chairman who honoured the invitation of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation and Communications on Thursday, discussed the implications of the proposed direct primaries as contained in the Electoral Act amendment Bill that has been transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.
It would be recalled that the House had resolved that the committee should meet with the INEC Chairman over the cost of direct primaries, after a motion by Hon. Leke Abejide from Kogi State.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Muktar Batera, while briefing journalists, said lawmakers discussed the cost of direct primaries.
Hon. Batera said the INEC Chairman informed lawmakers that political parties have the responsibility on primaries and the funding of the primaries, adding that INEC does not involve in the process of political party’s primary and as well cannot fund it
According to Mr Batera, the committee discussed INEC budget and the cost implications of direct primaries on the Commission, and was informed that INEC’s role in the process of primaries is minimal because political parties are in charge of primaries.
“In our discussions with the INEC Chairman, we wanted to know his requirements for the 2023 elections as well as the cost of direct or indirect primaries.
“On the primaries, when we discussed with him, he specifically told us the role of INEC in direct or indirect primaries which he said is just minimal.
“He said the responsibility lies with all the political parties. He said conducting primaries is the role of political parties and not INEC.
“For direct primaries, what the INEC Chairman told us is that only the political parties have the responsibility on primaries and the funding of the primaries,” he said.
Also speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, Prof. Yakubu said the commission has replied the letter from President Buhari seeking advice on the direct primary as contained in the Bill, even as he noted that INEC is yet to determine the cost of direct primaries.
On the recommendation of the Commission to President Muhammadu Buhari on direct primaries, he said “A letter was submitted to the President. I can’t divulge what I told the President.”
It would be recalled that President Buhari had written to INEC, requesting counsel on the controversial direct primaries as contained in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which was transmitted to him on November 19, 2021, by the National Assembly for assent.
Meanwhile, the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, yesterday urged the National Assembly to remove the contentious direct primaries clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that was forwarded to the President for assent, warning that it would cause more confusion to Nigeria’s democracy
The Governor, who spoke when he received the Registrar of National Examination Council (NECO) Prof. Dantani Wushishi in Abakaliki, warned that the clause could derail or even truncate the democratic process in the country if the national assembly insists on going ahead with it.
He commended the President for refusing to assent to the bill, adding that direct primaries will lead to so much confusion which might derail or possibly truncate democracy in the country.
He said the number of litigations that will arise from such direct primaries will be so much that it will make the electoral process too costly and too cumbersome to prosecute.
“Let me congratulation Mr President for refusing to sign that electoral bill. You see, when we are making laws we have to look at all the factors.
“This is a country that when you are defeated in any primary you refuse to accept defeat. Now, imagine the number of our local government, 774. Imagine the number of wards, you now go to conduct primaries in all these wards, maybe for the president and after that the senate and the rest of the positions.
“So it will just truncate our democracy there is no doubt about that. Nobody has considered the amount of confusion that will arise out of that because everybody that contests election will like to go to court.
“So, I want the national assembly to look into this litigation aspect. When the cost of these direct primaries is taken into consideration, it is going to be too much because, for every ward that the court rules out, there must be a repeat of the exercise.
“So I think that the issue of party primaries should be left to the political parties. This is not about APC or PDP, everybody is looking at the implication. So let us take another look at it.
“Some people say governors have hijacked the primaries, is it not the governors that are at home every time, do they not have representation in every unit? So they are at home with the people, if you are not at home with the people how will the people know you?.
“Some of you want to be governors, very soon we shall not be governors anymore but we are looking at what will bring stability to our democracy and sustain it. So the national assembly should take a deeper look at the application so that when it will start happening they will say we foresaw this and we advised against it”, he said.
