Document trending on social media indicates that the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Adams Oshiomhole, single-handedly decided the mode of primary in choosing the party’s candidate for the coming Edo State governorship election.
There are direct and indirect primaries. While the former involves all card carrying members of the party in a state voting to choose its candidate, the latter involves only party delegates in choosing the flag-bearer.
It is always easier for incumbent state governors seeking re-election to emerge when indirect primary is adopted by their respective political parties than when direct primary is the preferred mode.
In Edo, the APC is currently factionalised. One is loyal to Mr Oshiomhole while the other enjoys the support of the incumbent governor, Godwin Obaseki, who is seeking another term in office.
Messrs Oshiomhole and Obaseki are currently political enemies fighting for the control of the political structure in the state. The latter succeeded the former in office in 2016 but the former is out to frustrate his successor from securing another term in office.
In a letter dated May 19th, 2020 and circulating online, the APC helmsman wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) informing the electoral body that his party has chosen direct primary in choosing its Edo state governorship candidate when the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party was yet to take such decision.
Although the highest decision making organ of the party later adopted direct primary on May 22, 2020, their decision came three days after its national chairman informed INEC.
The primary is slated for June 22 and the winner will now become the candidate of the party in the September 19 governorship election.
“I convey to you my compliments and wish to respectfully inform you that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has decided to conduct direct primary for the Edo state governorship election on Monday, 22 of June. 2020,” Oshiomhole wrote.
“To this end we have put in place modalities to ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 prevention guidelines as announced by the COVID-19 presidential task force (PTF) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
“Therefore, direct primaries will be conducted in one hundred and ninety two wards (192).
“We accordingly invite you as observers of the primaries with full compliance with the All Progressives Congress constitution and the electoral act,” the letter read.
The party has six aspirants jostling for the position, but the race is largely believed to be between Mr Obaseki and Osagie Ize-iyamu, another aspirant who enjoys the support of Oshiomhole, despite earlier been described as a thief who cannot be trusted with public funds by the APC chairman.
Meanwhile, the governor has denied betraying the national chairman whom he claimed to have helped to rise to his present political status.
