APC NEC set to ratify primary timetable

Barring the unforeseen, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will today ratify the timetable for the party’s primaries.

The Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) set the tone for today’s emergency meeting during its rescheduled meeting in Abuja yesterday.

The primaries are scheduled to hold from next month.

At a crucial meeting in Abuja yesterday, the NWC yesterday considered and approved a timetable for the various primaries to pick party flag bearers for the 2023 general elections.

It also concluded on the cost for the expression of interest and nomination forms for the various offices from the House of Assembly, National Assembly, governors and the President.

A source within the NWC told our reporter that the committee will present its decision to the NEC for ratification.

The source said: “Because the NEC is the highest decision making organ of the party, all our decisions at the NWC meetings of last week and that of today (Tuesday) will be presented to the NEC for approval tomorrow (Wednesday). This will form the main agenda for the meeting.”

The source however declined to volunteer information on how much the party plans to sell the forms to aspirants.

The source said: “Wait for the decision of NEC. We have made our recommendations. It is for the NEC to approve the various cost pegged to various positions. Mind you, the NWC had approved free nomination forms for all female aspirants, irrespective of the position they want to contest.”

Last week, APC National Woman Leader, Betta Edu, told reporters of the NWC decision to grant women aspirants free nomination forms to encourage more women in politics and for the fulfilment of the 35 per cent affirmative action in governance.

On the mode of election recommended by NWC for consideration and approval of NEC for the party’s primaries, our source said the party will adopt an indirect primary.

He said: “Article 20(3and4) was clear on the mode of primary to be used at our congresses and convention, but for the primaries for the 2023 elections, we have recommended an indirect mode of election. This also will be presented to the NEC for ratification.”

Another member of the NWC, who spoke in confidence, said the committee will also be seeking the approval of the NEC for the proposed reorganisation of the party’s National Secretariat.

The source said: “Though we have not concluded on the Transition Committee report, the Chairman will brief the NEC on the preliminary report of the committee and the proposed reorganisation plan of the party secretariat. We hope to look into the Transition Committee report on Thursday.”

The youth wing of the party may be pushing for a 50 per cent discount on the cost of nomination forms for all aspiring youth at the forthcoming party primaries.

The decision was reached at a crucial meeting of some youth stakeholders across the country at the party’s national secretariat on yesterday.

The source said: “If the party can grant free nomination to women, we gave resolved to push at tomorrow’s (Wednesday) NEC meeting for a 50 per cent cut in purchasing the nomination forms by all our youth. This will go a long way to boost the not too young to run Act recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

“We have mandated the National Youth Leader to make this case, while some of us are reaching out to other NEC members to support this move.”