A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Tom Ohikere has written an open letter to the National Chairman of the party, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu demanding adoption of direct mode of primary election to elect the candidates of the party in the forthcoming elections.
Ohikere, who is a former Commissioner for Information in Kogi State, said the reason for the demand was for transparency, fairness and inclusiveness.
ebirareporters.com reports that the APC gubernatorial primary elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states have been scheduled for April 14th, 2023.
In the letter titled, “The imperative of direct primary for selecting the party’s candidate for the guber election in kogi state,” Ohikere expressed fear that the process could be hijacked by powers loyal to the system.
He opined that those of them who have been following the chairman’s political trajectories over the years, knows that he became the chairman of the party in order to change the narratives at all levels.
He noted that they are conscious of the fact that the oppositions in Kogi state particularly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the new entrant, Africa Democratic Congress, (ADC), are regrouping and becoming stronger, adding that they are just waiting for the APC to make a mistake so that they can take political advantage of the already dicey situation.
“We are aware that the strategy for the primary election to select a candidate for the 2023 general election has become the major issue currently agitating the minds of the stakeholders and threatening the internal peace and cohesion of the party in the state
“Sequel to this, we are therefore convinced that its time for the national leadership of the party to intervene and announce the appropriate mode of choosing the party’s gubernatorial candidate.
“This decision should not be seen as being ambitious, because, it is the right thing to do at this juncture in our political growth and development
“We therefore call on you as the symbol of the leadership of the party, to see to it that the direct primary election is considered and approved in choosing the party’s candidate.
“This we believe, is the only way to avert the obvious threat to the internal cohesion and stability in the party in our dear state. Every loyal party member including the aspirants are expected to be familiar with this mode, because of it’s all inclusive nature.
“All registered members of the party would through this direct mode, have the opportunity of participating in the leadership recruitment process of the party which helps in determining who the candidate or standard bearer of the party should be.
“This is particularly important because, it essentially explicates the archetypical democratic mode. Mr. Chairman, I want to assure you as one who loves the party and cares very much about it’s successes; going forward, that this mode of primaries being suggested remains the best way of making our members, active participants in the entire political and democratic process by putting the power of determining the outcome of the process and the structure of the party and government in their hands.
“The reasoning behind this Gambit, if implemented, the voice that gave expression to it, would resonate well with the common mantra of people power; the populist driving force to decide the fate of leaders who are seeking elective positions or justling to be the candidate.
“This suggestion, whether it is viewed from the construction of the Latin phrase”Vox Populist Vox Die”(meaning the voice of the people is the voice of God) or from the Abraham Lincoln’s definition of democracy as ‘the government of the people, by the people, and for the people’ writ large, which overall, diminishes or whittles down whatever arguments…”
