By: Joy Odor/Kaduna
The Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District at the Upper Chamber, Comrade Shehu Sani has told Kaduna State Executive Committee (SEC) of All Progressive Party (APC) that it cannot change the political landscape of Nigeria by adopting a system of cash and carry, lamenting that he is for direct primary.
Comrade Shehu Sani stated this at the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council on 6th of September, 2018 while reacting to a resolution earlier reached by the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Party meenting adopting indirect primary as the mode of conduct of the party primary elections in Kaduna.
According to the Senator, indirect primary mode of election means that APC want to pay the electorate to be elected, saying that must be fought if the Party wants to instill discipline order in the Nation’s democratic system.
He maintained that the Party must make it possible to men of honour, principles and ideas to trump up into office through a credible and transparent process.
“Direct Primaries is the only way to abolish politics of God Fatherism, lack of internal party politics.
“The best way to be a good and committed member of APC is to provided for the electorates better alternative which I Shehu Sani stands for.
“APC should create a path for Nigeria and Nigerians, by changing the political landscape of the country for better.
“There are three issues here reached: first, there is litigation as regards to legitimacy of the existing executives and delegates in the state. Secondly, we were excluded from participating in the congresses.
“Indirect primary is simply about fear of the people. You don’t want to subject yourself to the people, fourthly, is the very fact that APC cannot change the political landscape of Nigeria by adopting a system of cash and carry.
“You pay to be elected, that must be fought if we want to instill discipline order in our democratic system, we must make it possible to men of honour, principles and ideas to trump up into office through a credible and transparent process.
“We are all living witnesses to how the Congresses were conducted in Kaduna state, where members were not giving the opportunity to elect those that will steer the affairs of the party both at the state, local government, even at the ward level.
“So, there is litigation to that effect on the authenticity of the excos, for that reason Indirect Primaries is not the best option for Primaries in Kaduna state.
“The current excecutives of the party in Kaduna state were selected and not elected”, he said
“Myself, Senator Sani Saleh are aspiring for the same position, and if those of us aspiring for a position said this is the kind of primaries we want to be conducted so why should any person decides for us?
“The position taken by the party today is a request to the National Secretariat of the party. We have also made our position very clear so it is left for the national secretariat to take a position.
“Myself, Senator Sani Saleh and other aspirants are all on the same page. We are for direct primary,” he stressed.
Corroborating, former Senator Sani Sahel was of the opinion that as an aspirant to the office of Senator for Kaduna Central Senatorial District, he do not agree to indirect method of conducting the primaries because of obvious reasons
According to him, one of the reasons is the manner in which the congresses were conducted, saying it was conducted in such a way that certain individuals were given the opportunity to select the entire executive members from every wards and LGA in the state.
Former Senator Sahel stressed that it was not free and fair so he do not think he will be doing justice to himself, to subject to general election under that condition.
“The second aspect is that there is litigation on the conduct of the congresses and if I subject myself to an election under this condition and I am elected by illegal executive then the whole thing will be an exercise in futility because it can be nullified by the court.
“The safest, fairest and best thing is for us to throw this thing open if you are not afraid of the people that you are aspiring to represent, subject yourself to election by them” he noted.
When asked if at the end of the day, the drama ended up in favour of the state, will he opt out of the party? The former Senator said time will tell.
