Direct Primaries: Buhari Walks Tightrope As Pro-Tinubu Forces Dig In

President Muhammadu Buhari is under pressure from different camps within the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC to take a position on the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. The pressure according to multiple sources within the APC is specifically focused on the provision compelling political parties in the country to use the direct method in conducting primaries to select candidates for elective offices in the country.

The camp supportive of the use of direct primaries are those aligned to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who believe that the direct primary is the only way that he can overcome the double opposition from APC governors and the Aso Villa Cabal reportedly led by Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

With the majority of governors in the party against Tinubu, the pro-Tinubu camp has systematically launched operations to get the advantage in vote rich states. Among the states where Tinubu is strong are Kano, Borno and Lagos, three states with APC registration figures that could easily tip the balance in any close contest.

Tinubu is also believed to have consolidated himself among APC members in many states controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP with Akwa Ibom, Delta among such states in the South-South.

Speaker Gbajabiamila Lobbies Buhari On Direct Primaries

The face of the campaign for the use of direct primaries is Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila of the House of Representatives. Gbajabiamila a scion of the Tinubu camp, was one of the first senior political leaders to meet with President Buhari once he returned from his 16-day trip out of the country.

The Speaker who went on a mission to lobby the president on the issue came out saying that the president was supportive of direct primaries.

The pro-direct primaries camp conscious of the leverage that the governors have in mobilizing delegates believe that the only way that they can overcome the hurdle is by going direct to the people.

“There is no way Tinubu can become APC presidential candidate with the Malami group and the governors opposed to him if indirect primaries are used,” a source privy to the unfolding developments disclosed.

“The cabal knows that there is no one with the kind of name recognition or network in the country who can match Tinubu in a direct primary and that is why they are stonewalling on the issue,” the source said. It is now being mooted that the repeatedly delayed national convention could again be shifted from December as proposed because of the failure of the Anti-Tinubu forces to come up with a proposal to stop the former Lagos State governor.

Buhari Walks Tight Rope On Direct Primaries

However, President Buhari is said to be walking between the devil and the deep blue sea on the matter as he could face a popular rebellion in the National Assembly over the matter.

Besides the strong support for Tinubu from Speaker Gbajabiamila and Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the majority of National Assembly members are also craving for direct primaries.

The lawmakers believe that it is the only way that they can be liberated from the apron strings of their governors who dictate candidates list when indirect methods are used for primaries.

“If the president refuses to sign the lawmakers are ready to override the veto for their self-preservation,” one source said on Friday.

Besides, Buhari may also be under the pressure of some regional champions who are also said to be pushing the agenda that the use of direct primaries would give the North an advantage in the selection of presidential candidates on the basis of the alleged superiority of the region in population.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that the National Assembly in passing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, had provided that the selection of candidates should be by direct primaries. The extant Electoral Act on the other hand provides for the use of direct, indirect or consensus.

The shocker for the Anti-Tinubu forces came when on the last day of the consideration of the bill that Speaker Gbajabiamila during the Committee of the Whole with the deputy Speaker Idris Wase presiding as required by the rules of the House, moved the motion for the adoption of the compulsory use of direct primaries for selection of candidates.

The moment Gbajabiamila moved the motion, the majority of the House was forced to support it leading to the harmonization in the same direction with the Senate.

However, sources within the party say that Gbajabiamila was pandering to the interest of his political godfather who holds sway among the party grassroots.

 GreenWhiteGreen GWG reports that the APC under the Governor Mala Buni led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, CECPC has been severally alleged to be working towards blocking the 2023 presidential aspiration of the national leader of the party, Tinubu.

It would be recalled that a major offensive to stop Tinubu came with the removal of  Adams Oshiomhole as national chairman of the party in 2020 following claims of the latter’s allegiance to Tinubu. Since then repeated efforts to elect a new executive has not materialized on account of the inability of the forces against Tinubu to drown him.

However, one activist in the anti-Tinubu camp was dismissive of the national leader’s advantage in a direct primary.

“After Lagos, Kano, Osun and maybe Borno where else is he strong? Mark me, Tinubu will not contest the APC presidential primary,” the source said.

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