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By Lawrence Agbo
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed claims that it plans to grant automatic tickets to sitting governors and lawmakers, insisting that all aspirants must undergo primary elections.
Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Thursday, the party’s Deputy National Chairman (South), Ben Nwoye, said the concept of automatic tickets is not recognised by the party’s constitution or the law.
“And then this story about automatic ticket, it is not true… the constitution says every four years, a governor or a National Assembly member or even a State Assembly member, will go back and face their constituency,” he said.
Nwoye stressed that the Electoral Act mandates primary elections, noting that candidates must either emerge through consensus or a voting process, both of which are provided for within the party’s framework.
“Our mode of election is two ways. One, it could be consensus, or the voting pattern. And consensus is known to our constitution. But what is unknown to our constitution is automatic ticket. Automatic ticket…” he said.
“Under the electoral act, you have to have a primary. And there are modes of that primary it’s spelled out. You can decide on consensus… None is wrong with that. It’s supported by the law, Or you can decide, a direct primary,” he added.
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He also dismissed reports suggesting that party members had demanded automatic tickets or that such discussions had taken place at internal meetings, describing them as exaggerated and unfounded.
“Even the story that they’ve demanded, I think it’s stretched a little bit too far, because we have performing legislators.”
According to him, performing office holders still have to present their records to voters, who ultimately decide their fate at the polls.
“If you are a performing legislator, a performing governor, of course, you go to your people with your report card, showing what you have done. But if you are a seat tight senator or a seat tight member of the House who have failed to perform, whether you think you want to go back to your constituents. It is those voters, your constituents, that will make the determination.”
Nwoye further clarified that the APC is yet to release its official timetable for primary elections, although guidelines from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicate that the process could begin later this month.
“By the way, I must tell you, our calendar is not yet out. What we have is a calendar from INEC saying that the primary will start any time from this month, 23rd of this month. But we have not fixed calendar. We have not started selling forms.”
He added that misinformation around automatic tickets is being circulated, prompting APC officials to set the record straight.
