THE ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted the indirect primary model for the selection of all its candidates for the 2023 general elections.
This was part of the decisions ratified at the emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.
Also, President Muhammadu Buhari and other leaders of the party transmitted their powers to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC to make decisions for a period of 90 days.
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The decision has laid to rest speculations of consensus arrangement by the top leadership of the party.
Article 20 of the APC Constitution as amended this year, provided for the selection of candidates through consensus, direct or indirect primaries.
In an indirect primary election, party members elect delegates who in turn elect the party’s candidates on their behalf.
Delegates are a democratically elected group of voters elected at party congresses.
A congress is a formal meeting or convention between members of a political party. During the congress, registered members of a political party elect these delegates that will represent them at local, state and national congresses.
In a direct primary election, registered members of the party just vote for who they want to be the flag-bearer of their party.
The composition of the APC delegates list include the national chairman, one member of the National Executive Council (NEC) from each state, serving and past presidents and vice presidents, serving and past governors and deputy governors, serving and past lawmakers (federal and states), past speakers, deputies, and principal officers of the state houses of assembly and past members of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Others are members of the State Working Committee (SWC); each state has 17; Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen and secretaries; three national delegates from each of the 774 local government areas and elected chairmen.
An analysis of the delegates list showed that the North-West geopolitical zone has 1,924. The APC has a large followership in the zone
The South-West has 1,568 delegates. Apart from Oyo, the APC largely also controls the zone. It has some of the leading presidential contenders for the 2023 elections.
The North has 1,278 delegates, while the North-East has 1,212.
The South East has 838 delegates and the South-South has 927 delegates.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has 53 delegates.
Major presidential contenders include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Lagos State former governor Ahmed Tinubu, Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, businessman Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, and Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige.
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun are also expected to join the race for the APC presidential ticket.
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