OPEN LETTER TO COMRADE ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE
OSUN 2018: WHY DIRECT PRIMARY IS UNACCEPTABLE
We
have monitored with bated breath the activities of certain individuals
within our party frenetically canvassing for the adoption of direct
primaries in the nomination of APC candidate for the gubernatorial
election coming up on the 19th day of July, 2018. We must directly point
out that the agitation is nothing but an effort towards imposing the
preferred aspirant of certain leaders of the party and some persons in
the government of Osun. The scheme is either to rig the election and/or
force an impossibility on the Party so as to impose their candidate.
have monitored with bated breath the activities of certain individuals
within our party frenetically canvassing for the adoption of direct
primaries in the nomination of APC candidate for the gubernatorial
election coming up on the 19th day of July, 2018. We must directly point
out that the agitation is nothing but an effort towards imposing the
preferred aspirant of certain leaders of the party and some persons in
the government of Osun. The scheme is either to rig the election and/or
force an impossibility on the Party so as to impose their candidate.
In
the first place, it is indisputable that such method of primary
election has never been applied anywhere in our Party in any situation
where there are more than one person contesting for the ticket of the
party. It is certain that a total of 17 persons has been shown to have
bought and submitted nomination forms and have been screened for the
purpose of participating in the primary election coming up on the 19th
day of July, 2018. In the circumstance, it is an avenue to create chaos
to suggest that consensus approach would be considered save and except
where all the aspirants agree that one of them should be fielded by the
party.
the first place, it is indisputable that such method of primary
election has never been applied anywhere in our Party in any situation
where there are more than one person contesting for the ticket of the
party. It is certain that a total of 17 persons has been shown to have
bought and submitted nomination forms and have been screened for the
purpose of participating in the primary election coming up on the 19th
day of July, 2018. In the circumstance, it is an avenue to create chaos
to suggest that consensus approach would be considered save and except
where all the aspirants agree that one of them should be fielded by the
party.
Based on the
above, it is considered imperative to state reasons why the direct
primary method cannot fly. Below are the reasons:
above, it is considered imperative to state reasons why the direct
primary method cannot fly. Below are the reasons:
1.
In the first instance, by the Constitution of All Progressives
Congress, 2014 (as amended), the National Executive Committee (NEC) is
the only body that can approve guidelines for conducting primary
elections for the purpose of nominating candidates of the party and the
extant decision of the National Executive Committee on the issue is the
use of the indirect primaries. This, to the best of our knowledge, has
not been revisited. Yet, your leadership is being rumoured to be dancing
to the cacophonous tunes played by certain individuals calling for
direct primaries. (See Article 20(v) of APC Constitution, 2014 (as
amended).
In the first instance, by the Constitution of All Progressives
Congress, 2014 (as amended), the National Executive Committee (NEC) is
the only body that can approve guidelines for conducting primary
elections for the purpose of nominating candidates of the party and the
extant decision of the National Executive Committee on the issue is the
use of the indirect primaries. This, to the best of our knowledge, has
not been revisited. Yet, your leadership is being rumoured to be dancing
to the cacophonous tunes played by certain individuals calling for
direct primaries. (See Article 20(v) of APC Constitution, 2014 (as
amended).
2. It must also
be remembered that it requires a minimum of seven days’ notice to
convene an emergency NEC meeting to approve a National Working
Committee’s recommendation to issue guidelines for nomination of
candidates which again is not possible within the time left before the
primary election for Osun State gubernatorial election on the 19th day
of July, 2018.
be remembered that it requires a minimum of seven days’ notice to
convene an emergency NEC meeting to approve a National Working
Committee’s recommendation to issue guidelines for nomination of
candidates which again is not possible within the time left before the
primary election for Osun State gubernatorial election on the 19th day
of July, 2018.
3. By
Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), INEC is supposed
to be given 21 days’ notice in order to be able to effectively monitor
the primary election of every party. Assuming without conceding that
such notice has been given to INEC, it means INEC would have to deploy a
minimum of 332 officials to monitor the primary election of APC in all
the constitutionally recognised 332 Wards in Osun. Where is the
logistics support? So if other parties adopt a similar method for their
primaries, INEC would have to deploy the same number of staff to monitor
their primaries!
Section 85 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended), INEC is supposed
to be given 21 days’ notice in order to be able to effectively monitor
the primary election of every party. Assuming without conceding that
such notice has been given to INEC, it means INEC would have to deploy a
minimum of 332 officials to monitor the primary election of APC in all
the constitutionally recognised 332 Wards in Osun. Where is the
logistics support? So if other parties adopt a similar method for their
primaries, INEC would have to deploy the same number of staff to monitor
their primaries!
4.
Furthermore, it requires a credible membership register to conduct a
direct primary election which is absent today in Osun State. It is on
record, and this is indisputable, that we do not have any credible
register of members with required means of proving authenticity.
Furthermore, it requires a credible membership register to conduct a
direct primary election which is absent today in Osun State. It is on
record, and this is indisputable, that we do not have any credible
register of members with required means of proving authenticity.
5.
Assuming without conceding the possibility of adopting direct
primaries, before this can be adopted, it is necessary to issue Wards
registers of members to all aspirants who would have the opportunity to
study same and confirm the authenticity thereof before any credible poll
can be effectively organized. There must also be sufficient room for
complaints before the poll is organized as regards anomalies that may be
discovered in the registers. It is certain that the time left can never
be sufficient to carry out this indispensable exercise before the 19th
day of July, 2018.
Assuming without conceding the possibility of adopting direct
primaries, before this can be adopted, it is necessary to issue Wards
registers of members to all aspirants who would have the opportunity to
study same and confirm the authenticity thereof before any credible poll
can be effectively organized. There must also be sufficient room for
complaints before the poll is organized as regards anomalies that may be
discovered in the registers. It is certain that the time left can never
be sufficient to carry out this indispensable exercise before the 19th
day of July, 2018.
6. It
is the law and the convention that no political party would go into any
election without having been given voters’ registers that would be used
for and prior to the election. This equally applies to aspirants who are
to contest primary elections as there must be exhibition of membership
registers in order to fish out illegal insertions or emergency members
manufactured by powers that be.
is the law and the convention that no political party would go into any
election without having been given voters’ registers that would be used
for and prior to the election. This equally applies to aspirants who are
to contest primary elections as there must be exhibition of membership
registers in order to fish out illegal insertions or emergency members
manufactured by powers that be.
7.
It is only in our party, APC, that less than five days to the primary
election, some people are attempting to impose a shift in the goal post
in the middle of the game without credible guidelines having been put in
place and without any notice whatsoever to other stakeholders. Till
this moment, the leaders of our party have not consulted any aspirant as
to the mode by which the primary election would be conducted save and
except the anointed candidate of the government in Osun and the
purported regional leaders.
It is only in our party, APC, that less than five days to the primary
election, some people are attempting to impose a shift in the goal post
in the middle of the game without credible guidelines having been put in
place and without any notice whatsoever to other stakeholders. Till
this moment, the leaders of our party have not consulted any aspirant as
to the mode by which the primary election would be conducted save and
except the anointed candidate of the government in Osun and the
purported regional leaders.
8.
It is equally the case that we are aware of activities by certain
individuals in government in Osun who have printed fake membership slips
for their thugs, cronies and surrogates to be paraded as lawful members
of the party in order to secure victory at the primary for their
anointed candidate. We are also aware of the plan of some government
officials to rig the primary election by concocting results ahead of the
holding of the primary.
It is equally the case that we are aware of activities by certain
individuals in government in Osun who have printed fake membership slips
for their thugs, cronies and surrogates to be paraded as lawful members
of the party in order to secure victory at the primary for their
anointed candidate. We are also aware of the plan of some government
officials to rig the primary election by concocting results ahead of the
holding of the primary.
9.
In addition, electoral officers to conduct such primary election for
each Ward cannot be appointed by the current Party/ government officials
in Osun who have openly shown their bias for a particular aspirant
otherwise they would be judges in their own cause. Thus, electoral
officials that would preside on the election in every of the 332 Wards
in Osun must come from the national secretariat of APC to guarantee
neutrality and must be picked with the consent of all candidates as the
local executives cannot be the ones to do this since as delegates for
the purpose of indirect primary, they already have their preferences.
In addition, electoral officers to conduct such primary election for
each Ward cannot be appointed by the current Party/ government officials
in Osun who have openly shown their bias for a particular aspirant
otherwise they would be judges in their own cause. Thus, electoral
officials that would preside on the election in every of the 332 Wards
in Osun must come from the national secretariat of APC to guarantee
neutrality and must be picked with the consent of all candidates as the
local executives cannot be the ones to do this since as delegates for
the purpose of indirect primary, they already have their preferences.
10.
If Your Excellency’s antecedent is anything to go by, it would be
disappointing to note that few days to the primary election in Osun, no
credible notice is out for the mode of conducting the primary election
to enable aspirants effectively prepare for same. If the mode of
primaries must change and the Guidelines used for indirect primary for
2014 gubernatorial election in Osun must change, there must be
sufficient notice to all stakeholders as it is known that Your
Excellency would not consent to such an illegal procedure as is being
currently carried out under your watch if you were to be an aspirant.
If Your Excellency’s antecedent is anything to go by, it would be
disappointing to note that few days to the primary election in Osun, no
credible notice is out for the mode of conducting the primary election
to enable aspirants effectively prepare for same. If the mode of
primaries must change and the Guidelines used for indirect primary for
2014 gubernatorial election in Osun must change, there must be
sufficient notice to all stakeholders as it is known that Your
Excellency would not consent to such an illegal procedure as is being
currently carried out under your watch if you were to be an aspirant.
Beyond
this, the representation made so far, particularly stemming from the
Convention on all other States, as recent as Ekiti primary, is the use
of indirect primaries. With four days to the primary, it is impossible
for the party to reverse itself as it is estopped.
this, the representation made so far, particularly stemming from the
Convention on all other States, as recent as Ekiti primary, is the use
of indirect primaries. With four days to the primary, it is impossible
for the party to reverse itself as it is estopped.
It
must be pointed out in summary that the general public is watching what
your leadership is doing and would be glad to know that this litmus
test for your administration is carried out without blemish. Again, it
is to be noted that any contravention of the Party Constitution as well
as the Electoral Act can only lead to the nullification of our Party
primary and, by extension, our eventual candidature. It is hoped that
the party leadership will not, by dancing to the tune of some
self-acclaimed leaders, endanger the interest of our candidate, and by
extension, the Party in general. We shall appreciate a decision
resisting injustice and perpetuating internal democracy within our
party.
must be pointed out in summary that the general public is watching what
your leadership is doing and would be glad to know that this litmus
test for your administration is carried out without blemish. Again, it
is to be noted that any contravention of the Party Constitution as well
as the Electoral Act can only lead to the nullification of our Party
primary and, by extension, our eventual candidature. It is hoped that
the party leadership will not, by dancing to the tune of some
self-acclaimed leaders, endanger the interest of our candidate, and by
extension, the Party in general. We shall appreciate a decision
resisting injustice and perpetuating internal democracy within our
party.
Adekunle Oduola, APC chieftain Osogbo, Osun state.
Culled from: The Punch
