There is anxiety in the political space following the release of the revised electoral calendar by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which mandates the conclusion of all party primaries by June 3.
The implication of this is that presidential primaries must hold within the period.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said APC was lagging behind in the preparation for the elections.
He said:
“There is panic everywhere because we have to do many things at a time and at a fast pace to catch up with the opposition. We also have governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.
“With the election timetable, we must put party executives in place by adhering to the March 26 date for the convention, wrap up our reconciliation process, look for the best mode of primary, mostly indirect; manage post-primary elections’ fallouts; clean up the ambiguity in the Electoral Act 2022, especially Section 84(12); hold strategy meetings and set up campaign structures at all levels.
“As we are, we cannot even adopt consensus mode of primary because the conditions are cumbersome in the new Electoral Act 2022.
“We have much at hand and APC is in a tinder box. This is why some party leaders came up with the option of holding our National Convention and presidential primaries at the same time.
“But President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors are expected to meet on the best approach to save the situation.”
Another source said:
“All nominations into elective offices shall be supported by a specified number of nominators from the relevant constituencies as may be prescribed or provided for in the party electoral guidelines
“Any party officeholder interested in contesting for an elective office (whether party office or office in a general election) shall resign and leave office 30 days, prior to the date of nomination or party primary for the office he or she is seeking to contest.”
“This Section 31 has omnibus provisions. The Secretary of CECPC is one of the issues in the party because of his governorship ambition”- the source added
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