Ahead of the July 12 local government elections, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has made a major change to its party primary rules by choosing to choose its chairmanship and councillorship candidates indirectly.
Streetlensemedia was able to receive the new directive, which changes the internal democratic process just weeks before party loyalists cast their ballots by substituting an indirect mechanism for the previously stated direct primary.
The updated instructions state that in the event that an agreement cannot be reached, candidates for chairmanship and councillorship would now be chosen indirectly. Only members of the Local Government Executive Committee will be delegates in chairmanship elections, while the Ward Executive members will make up the electoral college for councillorships. Both tiers of the party structure are explicitly stated in the document: "Elections shall be by indirect primaries where there is no consensus."
To guarantee openness, the party also specifies stringent protocols. APC membership cards and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) associated with their wards or local government districts must be presented by all accredited delegates. Each delegate is required to cast their vote for the candidate of their choice using the indirect primary system, and voting will take place at locations chosen by the Electoral Committee. This modification is thought to simplify the voting procedure and maybe lessen the stress and logistical burden of extensive direct primaries. But it also makes observers wonder about the dynamics within the party and how transparent the process is for grassroots involvement.
All eyes will be on how well the APC executes these updated criteria as the countdown to the July 12 council elections progresses, and whether the change in approach promotes unity or fuels internal strife within Nigeria's most populous state.
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