APC To Set Up New Committees To Conduct Primaries – Oshiomhole

APC To Set Up New Committees To Conduct Primaries – Oshiomhole

The All Progressives Congress (APC) said it is working on setting up electoral panels for the conduct of governorship primaries in Imo State and Zamfara State.

The national chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, said this at his campaign office in Abuja on Friday.

The Imo State primaries were suspended indefinitely by the party following the controversy that surrounded the process and the committee in charge of the election.

The chairman said the new committee will have credible members who will not be compromised

“In Imo State we are setting up a committee that will be manned by men and women who cannot be compromised in the light of what happened the other day and they will conduct transparent primaries.

“For me and for the NWC what matters in this process is not who wins, what matters in this process is the integrity of the process. Once the integrity of the process can be guaranteed, whoever win, wins,” he said.

He said he recognises the tension generated by the suspended primaries, saying he believes it is because for too long Nigerians were used to the game of power and the use of delegates.

In Zamfara State where the party cancelled the governorship primary due to violence, the chairman said it is sad some people chose violence but he is glad the committee which was sent has explained itself.

“We have reports from Zamfara State which shows that elections were botched because the process of the election was hijacked, materials were snatched and result taken to unauthorised places. And the panel which we sent headed by an associate professor, Abubakar Faki, and all the members have come to explain to us in unity what happened. It’s unfortunate that many people chose to opt for violence, but I am happy that the panel stood their grounds and refused to compromise even in the face of intimidation and we are going to have to conduct a free, fair primaries in Zamfara.

“So we are working on how we are going to meet to set up a new committee that will do the election in Zamfara,” he said.

Mr Oshiomhole spoke after meeting with APC state governors who had complained about the primaries in their states.

The APC, like other parties, has to conclude all its primaries and send names of its candidates to INEC before the October 7 deadline set by the electoral commission.