APC Forum Urges Buhari to Sign Electoral Bill, Backs Direct Primaries

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Revive All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhani to, as a matter of national urgency, assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill recently passed by the National Assembly.

The Chairman of the group, Sen. Umar Tambuwal, in a statement issued yesterday commended the members of the National Assembly for their courage and forthrightness in upholding the direct primaries option as a constitutional mandate of electing party leadership.

It said this singular act would be a major landmark towards oxygenating the essence of the country’s democracy, where representation of the people indeed reflects their true choices through their direct votes for party leadership.

It noted that the stance of the group has never wavered from the sanctity of the people’s true choices at all levels of party leadership, saying it believed it is the defining anchor of democracy and the bedrock of APC party politics.

The group said its mission was instructively tailored to revive, refocus and reposition the founding values of the party.

According to the group, “It is our firm conviction that whatever is fundamental to our democracy, takes its inherent shape from the characters of our political parties.”

This act, the group added, is a true representation of the cardinal vision of APC, where the interests and preferences of the majority are not hijacked by the ambitions and manipulations of a few.

The group stated: “It is thus expedient to appeal to the conscientious leaders of our party and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of national urgency, assent to this very important amendment.

“By assenting to this singular Act, Mr. President would not only be etching his name in gold but further enlivening his patent vision of a thriving democracy championed by the true wishes of the majority.”

The group pointed out that it believed the President would see this Act as a path to improving governance and installing true leaders across the length and breadth of the nation.

“We are not unmindful of the antics of the privileged minority within and out of our political party to upturn this landmark amendment to the Electoral Act; however, we can only be strengthened by our faith in the voices of the decent majority who have established the foundation of our political processes and that these leadership challenges do not represent the altruistic interests of the people,” it said.

The group stressed that It was not a coincidence that the same set of governors that oppose fiscal independence of local government system from their control are fighting tooth and-nail to bury the direct primaries as a process of leadership selection.