Primaries to select candidates of the All Progressives Congress for next year’s elections are set to begin tomorrow, with aspirants for House of Representatives tickets taking the first step across the country’s 360 federal constituencies.
As of Wednesday night, the party’s national secretariat in Abuja was reportedly coordinating reports from screening centres, while appeal committees continued sitting over petitions arising from the screening exercise.
A member of the party’s National Working Committee reportedly described the process as demanding due to the tight schedule and logistical challenges involved.
Despite the difficulties, the APC leadership assured members that the exercise would proceed according to schedule.
Several prominent lawmakers and political figures are seeking tickets to return to the Green Chamber, including Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, spokesman Akin Rotimi, veteran legislator Ado Doguwa, Finance Committee Chairman James Abiodun Faleke, former minister Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Chijioke Edoga and Leke Abejide, who recently defected from the African Democratic Congress.
Other lawmakers seeking re-election include Bimbo Daramola, Kafilat Ogbara, Oluwole Oke and Donald Ojogo.
The race also includes high-profile lawmakers from various state Houses of Assembly aiming to move to the House of Representatives, among them Mudashiru Obasa and Martins Amaewhule.
APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka stated that the timetable for the intra-party elections remains unchanged and sacrosanct.
The screening process has reportedly set the stage for what many expect will largely be direct primaries, while consensus arrangements may also emerge in some states.
Under APC guidelines, direct primaries are expected to be adopted in cases where consensus agreements fail.
Party sources disclosed that aspirants from Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu and Rivers states were all cleared by the screening panel.
Meanwhile, members of the Appeal Committee were reportedly handling last-minute petitions at Treasures Suites in Abuja.
Sources within the party also indicated that state governors remain influential in determining the mode of primaries to be adopted in their respective states.
A senior APC official claimed that despite pressure and lobbying from various quarters, the screening panels resisted attempts to disqualify aspirants and maintained an inclusive approach.
According to the official, no aspirant from the states handled by the committee was disqualified.
The National Working Committee reportedly reviewed and ratified the screening reports on Tuesday and Wednesday, although the official results are yet to be formally gazetted.
The party has already deployed primary election committees to different states to work with governors in ensuring peaceful and widely acceptable shadow elections.
Reaffirming the party’s commitment to the revised timetable, Morka dismissed reports suggesting possible changes to the schedule.
According to him, senatorial primaries will hold on May 18, House of Assembly primaries on May 20, governorship primaries on May 21, and the presidential primary on May 23.
