By Chinelo Obogo
Former deputy national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Olabode George has supported the addition of direct primaries into the amended Electoral Bill, saying that it will bring sanity into the electoral process.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos on Monday, George urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rethink his decision against direct primaries, saying it is unjust for a select few to determine the fate of any political party candidate.
He said that as long as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that they can handle direct primaries and the funds would be coming from the political parties, there should be no impediment to ensuring its passage.
“Let the people’s will be sustained so that every card-carrying member of any party will take part in the primary. The effect of direct primary means that you are part of the selection process of those who are going to represent your party and not leave the decision in the hands of a select few who are going to sit down and decide for everyone. That is why everyone wants to control who will emerge as the executive member of their ward.
“In Ekiti, some people have hijacked the executive of the wards because they are usually part of those who will be delegates during the primaries. The people should be allowed to exercise their will. We have run the option A4 in this country before and everyone votes. The president opposed it saying that it will be too expensive but it has got nothing to do with the treasury. Even the INEC chairman said they can supervise it, so, why is it a problem? We take one step forward and many steps backwards. We are wobbling and unstable,” he said.
Speaking on speculations that former President Goodluck Jonathan would contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) George said it would be in Jonathan’s interest not to throw his hat into the ring.
He said Jonathan has been president for nearly six years and if he contests, he will be shortchanging the South which should ordinarily be entitled to two tenures of eight years.
“I would advise that Jonathan should take a back seat because he can only have two more years since he was president for almost six years. By the constitution of this country, any Nigerian can only serve for eight years, so, if you remove six from eight, that is six years.
“What is behind that story? Why are they saying he should contest now? When he left, what did they do to the estate built by his wife in Abuja? I was reliably informed and I am ready to be corrected, that he went for medicals in the US, brought out his credit card to make payment and the card didn’t work, that it was his friend, the Ivory Coast President who paid the bill. He knows that if you become president, the first year will be spent studying those around you so that you will start making corrections in the second year.
“Personally, I will say that he should remain where he is. With the honour he has, he is already in the history books and he should not let them pull him out. If he comes, the north will count it against us and after his tenure is complete, they would start agitating for it to go back to the north. I will plead with him to take a very cursory look at it and consult with his family and friends before making any decision,” he said.
