Attahiru Jega, a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said the use of direct primaries by political parties might not work out well for now.
This, he said, is because many members of some political parties are not properly registered.
Mr Jega made the statement during a town hall meeting on the Electoral Amendment Bill, organised by Yiaga Africa on Sunday.
The event was aimed at re-echoing calls for the speedy passage of the bill by the National Assembly as well as to address the drafting issues cited in the legislation.
In the bill, passed by the National Assembly in 2021, Clause 87 allows political parties to adopt only a direct mode of primaries in selecting candidates for elective offices.
In December of the same year, President Muhammadu Buhari rejected the bill citing insecurity, the cost of conducting direct primaries and infringement on the rights of Nigerians to participate in governance as his reasons for declining assent.
However, in a recent interview, the president assured that if changes are made to the clause, to include the addition of consensus candidates and indirect primary options to the mode of selecting a candidate for an election, he would sign the bill.
Similarly, Mr Jega believes direct primaries will not be feasible at the moment because of loopholes in the system even though he said the nation needs new electoral laws ahead of the general elections.
He alleged that the clause was inserted in the bill to help solve personal issues the lawmakers have with their governors. He said they “perceive or know for a fact that governors manipulate indirect primaries,” and are looking for a way to liberate the primaries.
“…Some people believe that governors do influence the outcome of indirect primaries and some feel direct primaries is a way out of this, but the question is, how many parties have a credible register of members?
“Give INEC the law to begin preparations for the 2023 elections. Any governor that manipulates direct primaries under this present condition will also have the capacity to manipulate indirect primaries. Which of the parties have a clear register of members. Any governor that has the capacity to manipulate direct primaries has the capacity to do so for indirect primaries.
“The challenge is how do you ensure that members of parties are properly registered. Governors can only manipulate the delegate list but with a faulty register there will be room for manipulation even in direct primaries,” he said.
For the former INEC boss, the passage of the bill will go a long way in improving the integrity of Nigeria’s elections.
“…This country will be better off if we go into the next election with a new electoral law which will enhance the integrity of the preparations and conduct of the elections.
“What we are saying is that you cannot throw the baby away with the bath water. Let’s think more carefully. The good things in the bill should be signed into law immediately so that INEC can start serious work for the 2023 elections, ” Mr Jega said.
With the legislation now back to the National Assembly, the lawmakers have to either amend the bill and send it back to the president for assent or override his decision.
For now, many Nigerians just want the bill signed so that new electoral reforms can be in place before the 2023 elections.
PREMIUM TIMES
