Barely 72 hours to the May 29 presidential primary election of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), the party’s state of preparation for the event, has become a source of concern to stakeholders.
About 2,340 delegates across the country are expected to converge on Abuja, the nation’s capital city, to elect the presidential candidate of APC.
But the screening committee that ought to certify the aspirants fit for the contest is yet to be inaugurated.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had set June 3rd as the deadline for the submission of presidential candidate by all political parties participating in the 2023 general elections.
But a visit by our correspondent Thursday evening to the Eagles Square Abuja, scheduled venue of the APC special convention, showed the usual preparations ahead of the convergence were yet to commence.
Blueprint observed the absence of usual relevant stands, banners and structures at the Eagle Square venue, fuelling speculation and fear that the event may not hold Sunday.
Also, the party’s national secretariat located at Blantyre Street, Wuse 11, Abuja was deserted by party officials due to ongoing governorship primaries elections holding across the states of the federation.
Tinubu group worried
Reacting to the development, the national publicity secretary of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu Support Group (AATSG), Hon. Sampson Atasia Oburu, lamented the state of party’s preparation for the exercise.
He said: “Less than 72 hrs to the primaries, no screening of aspirants and possible debates between aspirants is zero. I wonder what kind of example we as the ruling party is setting after we promised Nigerians change.
“We moved to ‘Next Level’, one would have thought that we would move from doing things anyhow to doing the right things which to a large extent, would muster unity within the party, raise the status of the party and usher in a new era of hope.
“It is extremely important to sustain and in our own case now, restore confidence in the party by the electorate and public because as it is, Nigerians are fast losing confidence in our ability to lead the country to the much needed Next Level.
“There is rancour and strife in almost all the states controlled by our party, multiple factions, poor internal democratic processes, where the electoral processes are hijacked by one or a few individuals against the collective strength of the majority.”
When asked to proffer solution to the identified challenges, Oburu said: “In my thinking, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu is the best prepared aspirant among all the other aspirants. Asiwaju has been thinking and planning for the betterment of the party and the nation. He is the most acceptable across board, he was the architect of the merger that formed APC, he is the one that set the foundation to victory of APC, he has the best chances to win for the party even with the critical condition of the party.”
APC rebirth
Also speaking, Co-convener APC Rebirth Group Comrade Aliyu Audu reminded the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the implication of not producing a presidential candidate by 3rd of June.
Audu said: “While we are concerned about the lack of activities to show that plans are in place for the special Convention, we want to believe that everyone involved is aware of the implications of not having a duly elected presidential candidate by the 3rd of June 2022, so there are probably plans in place that are unknown to us.”
Pro-Osinbajo group
To supporters of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, a top contender in the race, there is really no cause for alarm.
One of the groups, Osinbajo Support Movement said: “The screening can still happen 24hrs to the primary day. No worries whatsoever. You will see activities at the Eagles Square ground from Saturday.”
When reminded that the screening Committee for the presidential aspirants is yet to be constituted, Olawale said: “I don’t think so, they (party leaders) are only being strategic.”
Jonathan hits parties on primaries
Meanwhile, former President Goodluck Jonathan has faulted the ongoing primaries for the 2023 elections.
The primaries are being marred with complaints of inducement of delegates by aspirants to win their votes.
There have been reports of how aspirants induced delegates to vote for them.
For instance, in Kaduna, a son to Jonathan’s former deputy, Namadi Sambo, asked for a refund from delegates who allegedly collected his money but failed to vote for him.
Condemning the development Thursday in Abuja at a book launch titled “Political Party Governance” authored by Dr. Mohammed Wakil, a former Minister of State, Power, the former president said it was disgraceful to induce delegates to get their votes and then request for refund after failing to secure tickets.
Jonathan said: “These whole primaries going on across the country is a mess. This is not a standard practice. The process has failed. We cannot use the process to elect president, governors, senators and House of Representatives members and others.
“The process is already failed, which is not good for the country. But we will manage and move on.
“We pray that good people should come. I hope that what happened this year, 2022 will not happen again in this country.”
The former president, therefore, urged the National Assembly to make laws to criminalise inducement of delegates and electorate.
Jonathan further called on the legislature to expunge from the Electoral Act, the sections that dwell on how political parties should select candidates for elections.
Jonathan said: “The National Assembly can’t make laws and lock all political parties together. Parties have different ways of nominating candidates and the process is enshrined in their constitutions.
“Creating a situation where all parties must have the same way of selecting candidates is nonsense. Parties are not parastatals of government.
“The National Assembly can’t make laws to strangulate political parties. Section 84 should be expunged from the Electoral Act.”
