Observer Group Recommends Direct Primary Election for All Parties
Consequent upon the success of Direct Primary election to pick the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun state, the Comrade OlaOni Centre For Social Research has recommended the option for subsequent elections for political office holders in Nigeria.
The group of observers in collaboration with Coalition of Civil Societies who monitored the governorship primary election in the State, stressed that the direct primary as observed in Osun, reduced manipulation and inducement of voters with money as experienced in the past exercises.
Addressing newsmen at the Secretariat of the Centre in Osogbo Saturday, the Director, Comrade Wale Adebisi noted that from all variables and indices available to the institute, direct primary is actually the best so as to encourage internal all inclusive Democracy.
The press conference that was jointly addressed by Comrades Wale Adebisi, Amitolu Shittu and Waheed Lawal posited that the option reduces intra party wrangling or violence at the voting centre.
“From all variables and indices available to us on the field, the direct primary is actually the best so as to encourage internal, all inclusive democracy, because every party members is involved.
“It eliminates the emerging trend where aspirants camped delegates and bribe each with huge amount of money. It also eliminates manipulation to a large extent.
“We hereby encourage every other political party to embrace this process of direct party primary so as to improve the Internal democracy of the party politics which will gradually reduce the issue of financial inducement.
“Direct primary election process truly attests to the fact that democracy is truly for the people. Regardless of all shortcomings and drawbacks observed during the exercise, the process is still the best because it is transparent, free and fair.
Adebisi who frowned at some anomalies associated with the system such as shortage of manpower, timing for commencement of the exercise, lateness of electoral material, however said there is room for adjustment.