APC faction vows not to support indirect primaries in Katsina
Abubakar Ismaila Isa
A faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Katsina State, has vowed not to support the use of indirect primaries to select candidates for the 2019 general elections.
The group also said it has lost confidence in the ability of the party’s executives and state government to conduct free and fair primaries.Addressing a press conference yesterday, the group’s leader and gubernatorial aspirant, Abubakar Ismaila Isa alleged that the executive members of the party at all levels were elected through a phantom congress.
He, however, said the party’s decision to use indirect primaries was against President Muhammadu Buhari’s open support for the adoption of direct primaries method.He expressed fear that the party’s delegates will not be fair and transparent when it comes to the use of indirect primaries.He called on the party to adopt the direct primary method so that every contestant would be given a level playing field.
Isa said the group has since challenged in court the manner the party’s executive members were elected.Speaking on behalf of the group, Isa said: “We have lost confidence in the ability of the executives of the party and the state government to conduct free, fair and transparent primaries.
“In Katsina state, we have unanimously rejected any process other than direct primaries in selecting those that will represent the party in the elections.
“There was never a stakeholders meeting of the party where it was agreed that the party in Katsina state should go contrary to the well known views of the President who is an advocate of the direct primaries.
“The so-called executive members of the party at all levels were illegally elected in a phantom congress that is now being challenged at State High Court and Federal High Court in the state. They are not qualified to take decisions on behalf of the party and its members.”Isa called on party stakeholders to intervene and save the party from the merchants of manipulation and disunity.
