All is currently not well with the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC in Kaduna as member of the party have been splitted into pro and anti direct and indirect primaries.
The Kaduna State Chapter of the APC had risen from its State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting and adopted indirect primaries for all its primary elections.
A decision that has was immediately rejected by the Senator representing Kaduna Central, Senator Shehu Sani and other stakeholders of the party.
For the first time since his suspension by the party in 2016, Senator Sani was in attendance at the party’s SEC meeting and was sighted exchanging banters with the Deputy Governor, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex.
Briefing newsmen shortly after the SEC meeting of its resolution, the state chairman of the party, Air Cdre Emmanuel Jekada said, “direct primaries method is not applicable in the state.”
According to Jekada, “The Kaduna State Executive Committee (SEC) in line with the directives of the National Executive Committee (NEC), sat today and adopted “Indirect Primary” as the mode of conduct of the party primary elections in Kaduna state.
“The ‘Direct Primary method’ is not applicable in the State due to the following reasons: Absence of a comprehensive register of party members; the APC Kaduna party leadership has made spirited attempts to acquire a comprehensive database of party members from the party’s National Headquarters but to no avail.
“Without a comprehensive membership register, any direct primaries may be disrupted by non-members including individuals from other parties who may come up with fake membership cards to cause confusion in the process.
“Experience of Direct Primaries from the recently concluded primary elections for councillorship in state where the party adopted direct primaries to select its candidates was marred by significant disruption and controversy and over stretched the security agencies. Using this mode for the upcoming primary elections would definitely not produce the desired results and its credibility may be called to question.
Rejecting the decision at a Press Conference in Nigeria Union of Journalists secretariat, Senator Shehu Sani who was join by his predecessor, Senator Sani Saleh said Kaduna APC should go by the National proscribed.
”Direct Primaries is the only way to abolish politics of God Fatherism, lack of internal party politics”, he said.
“If really those who are running away from Direct Primaries have performed based on their claims there would not be this phobia for Direct Primaries in Kaduna State.
”The best way to be a good and committed member of APC is to provided for the electorates better alternative which I Shehu Sani stands for.
” APC should create a path for Nigeria and Nigerians, by changing the political landscape of the country for better”, he emphasised.
When asked if he ( Shehu Sani) will opt out of the party if the decision decision of state secretariat does not favour him, he simply said: “time shall tell”.
He argued that Direct Primaries will go a long way to unite the party members if adopted.
In a joint Press Conference, an aspirant for Kaduna Central Senatorial seat, Sen. Sani Saleh who also kicked against the adoption of the Indirect Primaries said the option is not realistic in Kaduna State.
” We are all living witnesses to how the Congresses were conducted in Kaduna state, where members were not giving the opportunity to elect those that will steer the affairs of the party both at the state, local government, even at the ward level.
” So, there is litigation to that effect on the authenticity of the excos, for that reason Indirect Primaries is not the best option for Primaries in Kaduna state.
“The current excos of the party in Kaduna state were selected and not elected”, he said.
The duo therefore called on the National party leadership to maintained its stand on Direct Primaries.
