THE INDEPENDENT National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out government funding for political parties as debate rages over possible hike in the cost of elections with the proposed introduction of compulsory adoption of direct primaries in Nigeria's electoral system.

The National Assembly included a provision for compulsory adoption of direct primaries in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that was passed and transmitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law.

Should the bill be signed into law, Nigerian political parties would have no option than to elect their candidates for elections through the direct primary model, which involves the participation of all registered party members.

Already, some political parties have expressed concern that direct primaries would hike the cost of conducting primary elections. The parties have suggested that they need financial support from the government to be able to meet up with the requirements of direct primaries.

The main national opposition party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and an alliance of political parties - the Conference of United Political Parties - have kicked against direct primaries while arguing that it would be very expensive.

Opposing the introduction of direct primaries in the amendment bill, the PDP, through its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, said, "The PDP holds that the provision (direct primaries) is aimed at increasing the costs of nomination procedures thereby surrendering the processes to moneybags against the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians."

The PDP noted that with the exception of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) which it alleged intended to deploy looted funds in future elections, "hardly will there be any political party that will be able to raise the cost of conducting internal elections under a direct primary process."

* APGA makes case for government funding of political parties

National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Victor Oye took the debate a notch higher by calling on the Federal Government to fund political parties to enable them conduct direct primaries.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/direct-primaries-inec-rules-out-government-funding-for-political-parties/

One shortcoming of Nigeria public policy process is the lack of element of exhaustive SWOT Analysis of an idea and the development of 'bolt and nut' implementation steps to avoid identified weaknesses and threats. Worrying about funding at this stage instead of process is negative. That's why process abuses and failures are 'epidemic' even when adequate funding is done.

My opinion is that a group of people need to sit down to study and articulate PRACTICAL ways of organising Direct Party Primaries in Nigeria with minimal logistical challenges, members' register issue, process abuses, etc. based on experiences and peculiarities of our political environment. May be the political parties should pull resources and appoint some independent eggheads to do this for them.

As an illustration, APC used Direct Primary for recent Anambra Governorship election but the National Caretaker Committee connived with Gov. Uzodimma and Gov. Abiodun to install Andy Ubah without any primary. Have any lessons learnt from this? Can antidotes be developed?

Well ...

Shey all these na when Buhari agree to assent to the Bill.

That Electoral Bill should be sent back to the NASS abeg.

It’s obvious that Direct Primaries can’t work.

Penguin2:
That Electoral Bill should be sent back to the NASS abeg.

It’s obvious that Direct Primaries can’t work.

What do you mean can’t work? Stupid pdp should shut up, just merge with other parties & stop wasting our time politicking. Useless Party.

Rexwalters1:
What do you mean can’t work? Stupid pdp should shut up, just merge with other parties & stop wasting our time politicking. Useless Party.

Did I read you say “stupid PDP”?

I guess you are blind to numerous reports of APC governors pressing Buhari’s neck not to sign the Bill.

Direct Primaries would be too chaotic to manage with parties not having adequate register to monitor and determine the credibility of results.

That section should be yanked off. And I’m pretty sure it would.

Buhari does not understand all this grammer.

All these useless parties are only existing to cash out from the Nigerian government, how can they demand for money to conduct primary election? They should deregister if they are not serious. Which party is A'F'GA? Does it mean Afghanistan? Yeye party

With all the millions/Billions political parties generate on selling forms, they are claiming they can't afford direct primaries. Any party that can't afford direct primaries should be deregistered.

P

I think INEC is ready to actually work

Nawaooo..

Penguin2:
That Electoral Bill should be sent back to the NASS abeg.

It’s obvious that Direct Primaries can’t work.

What's going to hike the cost of direct primaries other than money distribution to buy the votes of the delegates?

They should tell us what they'll be spending money on that would make the system expensive. Personally, I don't understand.

Anything that put the electorate as priority is a welcome idea.
But I fear for Nigeria politicians, especially this APC folks. They may have hidden agenda.

elhafeez:
With all the millions/Billions political parties generate on selling forms, they are claiming they can't afford direct primaries. Any party that can't afford direct primaries should be deregistered.

Seconded.

Isn't this craze ?

Why should govt be funding political parties?

Penguin2:


Did I read you say “stupid PDP”?

I guess you are blind to numerous reports of APC governors pressing Buhari’s neck not to sign the Bill.

Direct Primaries would be too chaotic to manage with parties not having adequate register to monitor and determine the credibility of results.

That section should be yanked off. And I’m pretty sure it would.

what is chaotic about it ?
Didnt APC conduct direct primary at the peak of lockdown.
Direct primary is an election held in all the wards in the state which is cheaper to conduct.

You guys prefer indirect primary where candidates with the highest dollars bribe wins.

Who funds INEC?

Hmmm

Hmmm issoright

Direct Primaries will address the legitimacy problems most of the elected public officials are having.

Don't mind the naysayers, Direct Primaries is actually cheaper but trust politicians, especially the state Governors, to have a sinister reason for attempting to confuse some people.

Because most of them lack legitimacy, they pay so much in indirect primaries system to buy loyalty from ward level to the state assembly so they can fight their political opponents in federal executive council, national assembly and national executive council of their political parties.


The prolonged and perennial fights the Edo State Governor, HE Godwin Obaseki, has with his political opponents is traced to the indirect primaries system that foisted him on PDP after allegedly parting with about 6 billion naira to buy the PDP structure in Edo State. No direct primaries to elect a gubernatorial candidate will cost N6 billion! In fact, if PDP had done direct primaries in Edo, hardly will it spend up to N100m for the organisation but the Governor allegedly paid N6 billion to buy the ticket. This is what is going on in most of the 36 states of the federation. The corruption case EFCC made against HE Fayose is traced to the problem associated with the bad indirect primaries system.

No direct primaries will cost even half of the billions HE Obaseki allegedly paid Chief Dan Orbih and Co to buy Edo PDP. He is still spending to buy loyalty to chase out his percieved opponents from Edo State PDP. So who do they think they are fooling when they say Governors oppose direct primaries because of cost? They are spending far more to buy legitimacy after getting to power through undemocratic processes !

Indirect primaries is the joker some Governors used to cheat the democratic system and take the electorates as easily dispensable and it must be stopped.

Just last week, HE Ortom, had the effontery to call Benue state indigenes drunkards just because he doesn't see their support as a necessary requirement. As bad as the Lekkilies promoters have behaved, HE Sanwo-Olu has never used unsavoury words for them and this is because he knows that he is the leader of the bad, ugly and good.

Direct Primaries is the way to go. President Muhammadu Buhari should please sign the bill into law.

All the enemies of Nigeria will lose las las. They always lose. God bless Nigeria forever.

NobleRace:


What's going to hike the cost of direct primaries other than money distribution to buy the votes of the delegates?

They should tell us what they'll be spending money on that would make the system expensive. Personally, I don't understand.

Even small departmental elections dey cost plenty money. Direct primaries might start today, but they will null it later. It's not sustainable

Rexwalters1:
What do you mean can’t work? Stupid pdp should shut up, just merge with other parties & stop wasting our time politicking. Useless Party.

You cannot articulate a point as to how it will work, you are calling PDP. It is cumbersome and prone to large scale fraud and manipulation as seen in Anambra APC.

ityP:




Even small departmental elections dey cost plenty money. Direct primaries might start today, but they will null it later. It's not sustainable

How have they been raising money for the ones they've been doing?

This would cause unserious parties to merge with serious ones, if we had only 7 political parties, the stress on INEC would reduce and they would have enough time to monitor the few parties available. Direct primary is the future of democracy

Good

Buhari is working. That's the reason why we IGBOS will never end our support for Buhari.

Hahahahahaaa Aaaahahahahaahhahaaa..
Ok Naa.
..
No Wahalla.

princdebola201:
what is chaotic about it ?
Didnt APC conduct direct primary at the peak of lockdown.
Direct primary is an election held in all the wards in the state which is cheaper to conduct.

You guys prefer indirect primary where candidates with the highest dollars bribe wins.

But is the same Direct Primary that produce Andy Uba in Anambra? Direct or Indirect primaries are all the same. Whoever that controls the party structure or who the power that been want will win. Control of the political structure is the Koko not the primary method.