Taking about those that argue for direct primaries in Nigeria in 2021, Governor El-Rufai makes the most brilliant argument for direct primaries, but in reverse....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
1. He admitted that Political Parties have no Membership Register. This is sacrilege after 22 years of democracy. It is like having a University that has operated for 22 years yet does not have the list of its students. No institution should continue in that manner.
2. Indirect Primaries does not require Register of Members – This is another indirect admission that is sacrilegious because delegates for indirect primaries are supposed to be elected by party members during Congresses to constitute an Electoral College that nominates candidates. Is he saying that Congresses have been conducted without Membership Register for the past 22 years? TAP HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLES
With these two points alone, he made a strong case why we must abandon indirect primaries and instead shoot for MANDATORY direct primaries where these infrastructures must be put in place.
Many political analysts will disagree that we must have computerized cards and all that before we can have direct primaries. Those can come along the way as direct primaries are a process. After all, he did not transform Kaduna State in his first year as Governor. It takes some time and things get better as you move along.
We need to urgently start to walk away from indirect primaries that he admits have delivered shambolic results over decades. Political parties are the most important vehicle in the democratic process. If they cannot erect sound processes then they have no right to produce the leaders that run our country at all levels.
We do not need to overcomplicate things as we start. For mandatory direct primaries to work we need Membership Registers which is a must-have anyway. We need to train personnel to constitute Primaries Election Committees. We need Members who are on the Register to pay Membership dues to fund the process and finally we need strong INEC oversight. With these, we can be well on our way and perfect the process as we progress. Inevitably, this will deliver better and quality leadership, increase voter participation, grow democracy as a practice, and above all force Political parties to be better run and administered.Taking about those that argue for direct primaries in Nigeria in 2021, Governor El-Rufai makes the most brilliant argument for direct primaries, but in reverse.
1. He admitted that Political Parties have no Membership Register. This is sacrilege after 22 years of democracy. It is like having a University that has operated for 22 years yet does not have the list of its students. No institution should continue in that manner.
2. Indirect Primaries does not require Register of Members – This is another indirect admission that is sacrilegious because delegates for indirect primaries are supposed to be elected by party members during Congresses to constitute an Electoral College that nominates candidates. Is he saying that Congresses have been conducted without Membership Register for the past 22 years? TAP HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLES
With these two points alone, he made a strong case why we must abandon indirect primaries and instead shoot for MANDATORY direct primaries where these infrastructures must be put in place.
Many political analysts will disagree that we must have computerized cards and all that before we can have direct primaries. Those can come along the way as direct primaries are a process. After all, he did not transform Kaduna State in his first year as Governor. It takes some time and things get better as you move along.
We need to urgently start to walk away from indirect primaries that he admits have delivered shambolic results over decades. Political parties are the most important vehicle in the democratic process. If they cannot erect sound processes then they have no right to produce the leaders that run our country at all levels.
We do not need to overcomplicate things as we start. For mandatory direct primaries to work we need Membership Registers which is a must-have anyway. We need to train personnel to constitute Primaries Election Committees. We need Members who are on the Register to pay Membership dues to fund the process and finally we need strong INEC oversight. With these, we can be well on our way and perfect the process as we progress. Inevitably, this will deliver better and quality leadership, increase voter participation, grow democracy as a practice, and above all force Political parties to be better run and administered.
