Adamawa APC rejects direct primaries ‘because there are two million fake membership cards in circulation’

Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, adopted indirect primaries for the election of its candidates for the 2019 general elections.
This move is seen as challenging the decision of the Comrade Adams Oshiomhole-led national leadership of the party which directed that direct primary option be used to pick candidates at federal and state levels.
A communiqué at the end of the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting of the party in Yola said indirect primary was the best option for the state.
It said that the SEC consulted widely and resolved to adopt indirect primaries for the governorship, National Assembly and House of Assembly primaries for the elections.
Motion for the adoption of the party decision at the meeting was moved by Mr Ahmed Gulak and seconded by former Adamawa House of Assembly Speaker and Acting Governor, Mr James Barka.
Addressing the SEC members, State Party Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Bilal, represented by his deputy, Mr Samaila Tadawus, said the decision to choose the option was in line with Article 12.8 of the party constitution.
Bilal said it was also in compliance with the directive of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to all states to decide on the mode of conducting their primaries.
In his remarks, Governor Muhammadu Bindow represented by his deputy, Mr Martins Babale, said he was also in support of indirect primaries and urged party members to join hands and ensure free and fair primaries.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, said the most important thing was that whatever decision taken should be in line with the party constitution which provided for direct, indirect or consensus.
Mustapha, who called for free and fair contest, urged members of the party to always show maturity in their conduct as members of the ruling party.
“We should always conduct ourselves in the most decent manners,” he said.
Senator Binta Masi and Rep. Ibrahim Dasin, who spoke on behalf of members of the National Assembly from the state, also endorsed the indirect primaries and cited some challenges including insecurity in some areas of the state.
Similarly, the Adamawa House of Assembly Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa, Deputy Speaker, Mr Emmanuel Tsamdu and the House Majority Leader, Mr Hassan Barguma, who spoke on behalf of APC members in the Assembly, also endorsed indirect primaries.
“Another reason we don’t support direct primaries is that the state has no authentic party member register, while we learnt that there are about two million fake party membership cards in circulation,” Mijinyawa said.