Electoral reform: APGA moves to entrench direct primaries in party constitution

By Lawrence Agbo

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has indicated plans to amend its constitution to formally recognise direct primaries as the only method for selecting candidates for elections, amid ongoing debates over electoral reforms in Nigeria.

The National Chairman of the party, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, disclosed this on Tuesday on Politics Today on Channels Television while reacting to the controversy surrounding the mode of party primaries and calls by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) for the reintroduction of indirect primaries into the country’s electoral framework.

Ezeokenwa explained that the position of APGA as a political party does not necessarily align with that of IPAC on the issue, stressing that the party had already begun considering constitutional amendments to entrench direct primaries as its official mode of selecting candidates.

“The position of APGA as a political party may not necessarily align with the position of IPAC. APGA had already muted the idea of amending its constitution to recognise only direct primaries as the mode of primaries,” he said.

According to him, the move is part of the party’s broader effort to strengthen internal democracy and ensure that party members play a more direct role in choosing candidates.

Ezeokenwa also urged Nigerian institutions charged with implementing electoral laws to diligently perform their constitutional responsibilities in accordance with the law.

“As a country, we must endeavour that institutions that are inbuilt with responsibilities to discharge certain duties imposed by the constitution are actually made to do those diligent responsibilities in line with the provision of the law,” he said.

The APGA chairman further noted that the call by IPAC to the National Assembly was primarily aimed at reintroducing the indirect mode of primaries, a position he suggested does not reflect the stance of all political parties.

“The major reason IPAC is calling on the National Assembly is to reintroduce the indirect mode of primaries,” he added.