Direct Primary Controversy: You Act Out Of Your Mandate, Lamido Tells NAS

Sule Lamido

By Salisu K Ismail

Former Jigawa state governor and People Democratic Party chieften, Alhaji Sule Lamido said recent controversial legislation by the national assemblies on direct primary election for political parties is nothing but a clear breaching of the provision of Nigerian contitution which guarantees polical parties to regulate the conduct of it's affairs.

The former governor made the disclosure in a statement signed by himself which was made available to newsmen in Dutse, Jigawa state capital.

The chieftain also accuseds the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the senate for an attempt to enforce direct primary election on to political parties, despite the Constitution clear stated that political parties to regulate their affairs including means of providing their flag bearer.

"The APC dominated Nigerian Senate has legislation that Political Parties must conduct DIRECT Primaries in choosing their Candidates into elective offices is a clear indication of the APC Senator turning itself into a Sole Administrator of Political parties which is tantamounts to political self help of APC’s dwindling political fortune," he said.

Alhaji Sule Lamido explained that "the Nigerian Constitution guarantees the safe guard of our plural Democracy, the same Constitution inherently guarantees the Parties to regulate the conduct of their affairs and mandates the Independent Electoral Commission to oversee compliance of their (Parties) Constitution a copy of which is deposited with the electoral body". 

According him "there was a time in our political evolution when we had parties headed by late Air Marshal Alfa as the sole administrator of SDP and NRC!. But that was when the polical parties were invented and owned by the government with full compliments of offices from the National, States and Local govt, office furniture, motor vehicles, motor cycles, full funding of all the Parties activities including transportation and accommodation during congresses and conventions and what have you".

He noted even at that it simply puts the parties that are not sovereign but mere government appendages, "we all know the attendant consequences".

Lamido maintained that given that this legislation stands, "will the senate make the required budgetary provision to all political parties to meet up the expenditure of fulfilling this piece of law?".