The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is trying to force the direct primary option of choosing candidates on other political parties in the country.
The PDP said this in its reaction to the passage of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by the Senate on Tuesday.
As earlier reported, the 9th Senate under the leadership of Ahmad Lawan on Tuesday passed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill which among other things included the approval for the electronic transmission of results and provided for direct primaries for nomination of candidates for elections by political parties.
Nigerian Senate Approves Electronic Transmission of Results, Passes Electoral Act Amendment Bill
The Upper chamber had constituted a seven-man conference committee to meet with members of the House of Representatives Conference Committee and harmonize the differences in the Senate and House versions of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill.
But reacting to the development, the PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said the Senate has no powers to decide the form of primary political parties in the country should use.
It added that choosing of candidates is an internal democratic process for each party and because direct primaries is favoured by APC, it shouldn’t be forced on other parties through the Senate.
Ologbondiyan noted in the statement that the final position of the PDP on the matter will be revealed within the next 48 hours.
The Electoral Act And Its Many Controversies
The PDP statement ‘Electoral Act Amendment: No Party Has Right To Impose Its Processes on Another’ reads: “The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has received the news of the passage of the harmonized electoral act amendment bill, which among other things, provided for direct primaries for nomination of candidates for elections by political parties.
“Our party holds that it is the inalienable right of each political party, within the context of our constitutional democracy, to decide its form of internal democratic practices including the processes of nominating its candidates for elections at any level.
“The PDP also believes that no political party should force its own processes on any other political party as the direct primaries amendment, a practice of the All Progressives Congress (APC), sought to achieve.
Members Of Electoral Act Amendment Conference Committee Revealed (Full List)
“Having stated this, the PDP shall, within the next 48 hours, make its final decision in respect of this amendment known.
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