November 09, (THEWILL) – A meeting of the enlarged Tripartite Committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve disagreements in the All Progressive (APC) on Tuesday failed to agree on the use of direct primaries by parties to select their candidates.
Meeting at the Banquet Hall of the presidential villa, Abuja, the committee made up of the Executive, the Legislature and the APC as a party, could not convince members of the National Assembly on the need to provide an alternative for the direct primary option.
The members of the National Assembly at the meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo insisted that direct primary is the way to go as they argued that it had been working for the electorate.
Former governor of Kebbi State and serving senator, Adamu Aleiro, told correspondents after the meeting that what the National Assembly had done in providing for direct primary in the just passed Electoral Bill for parties is the best for the country.
Speaking against the background call by APC governors to dump the provision, he maintained the National Assembly had been cooperating with the Executive, saying “but on this, we cannot be coerced to change our position.”
However, also speaking after the meeting, Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, said the fear of the Executive is the lack of alternatives provided in case the direct primaries fail.
He said the final decision on the matter rests with President Buhari who he noted will decide whether to assent to the Electoral Bill or return it to the National Assembly.
The governor said if the president decides to return the bill, it will not be the first time, adding that if he assents to the bill, the governors will have no choice but to work for its implementation.
“This is the Tripartite Committee set up by the president being the executive, the legislature and our great party to ensure that every topical issue that affects the people of this country at various arms of government is well discussed by the party and taken a good decision in the best interest of everybody”, Governor Bello said.
On whether the governors are comfortable with the decision of the lawmakers, he added: “I don’t think any governor or anybody whatsoever as far as APC is concerned is afraid or has any reservations as far as our participation is concerned.
“The only concern is the implication of having only one option. In case an option fails what happens?
“If for instance now, INEC sets a date for the election and you can’t shift, what do you do? And if circumstances beyond control arose, what do we do?”
Asked if the decision to insert direct primary in the Electoral Bill can still be changed, he stated: “In their own wisdom, nobody’s going to meddle into affairs of the legislature. So, whatever decision they have taken, if it is in the interest of the people so be it. If in their own wisdom that is how they want it, so, be it.”
Asked whether the governors will accept the direct primary, he said it is up to the president to decide what becomes of it.
He added: “Whatever the legislature will pass and if acceptable by the executive, then everybody will have to buy in and make sure it works.
“It is yet to be signed into law. So, we’re waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari, the commander-in-chief. Once it is signed into law, then we will make sure it works. If he does not, then it will be returned to the National Assembly or whatever action that can be taken.
“If it is returned to the National Assembly, it will not be the first of such bill to be returned. If it is assented to in the wisdom of the president, so be it, we will all work to ensure that it works.”
However, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the Special Adviser to the President on Politics, hailed the party leaders for reaching an agreement in a democratic manner.
“I think the outcome of today’s meeting is victory for internal democracy in APC. You recall that, in his sagely wisdom, President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a tripartite mechanism to interface whenever conflicts of this nature arose between the party, the body of governors and members of the National Assembly.
“Acting on the President’s mandate, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo called today’s meeting to allow for all parties to ventilate their voices in a no-holds-barred manner. It was a family meeting. At the end, a common ground was reached”, Senator Ojudu said.
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