Chidi Samuel|
The All Progressives Congress (APC) may likely lose its majority in the Senate if the party fail to adopt direct primaries for the 2019 elections as some Senators has threatened to leave the party following opposition from some governors to the system.
If this happens, the ruling party would have jeopardised the opportunity to effect leadership changes in the Senate after weeks of meticulous planning and horse trading.
The ruling party used the direct primaries to elect its governorship candidate in Osun for next month’s governorship election in place of the indirect primaries system used in the past.
But a source close to party headquarters said Some governors elected on the platform of the party are opposed to the direct primary option of electing candidates ahead of the 2019 general elections.
According to the source, six governors, met with Adams Oshiomhole, APC’s national chairman on Wednesday to convey their opposition to the system ahead of Thursday’s meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party.
The source told select newsmen, “They told Oshiomhole that they were opposed to direct primary election. All of them, except the governor from the North East, said they have problems with their people and that there is a possibility that they and their candidates may not get the party’s ticket if they should embrace the direct primary election.
“They also expressed fears that the APC may lose their states if the party adopts the direct primary approach to pick the candidates.”
Some Senators, has, however, warned that the party that failure to adopt the direct primary option will lead to mass defection of lawmakers in the upper legislative chamber from the ruling party, thus handing the majority status to the opposition PDP.
Adams Oshiomhole, sensing the importance of the ruling party’s majority in the upper legislative chamber is said to have told the governors that President Muhammadu Buhari and the national leadership of the party are all in full support of direct primary option.
According to the source, “The APC chairman, Adams Oshiomhole was firm and resolute on the issue.”
The ruling party is currently hold its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
The meeting is expected to deliberate on the party’s preparation for the 2019 elections especially its primaries.