The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has insisted that no political party can hold direct primary in the state. This is coming ahead of the scheduled June 22 governorship primary of the All Progressive Congress in the state.
The Governor said that only indirect primary could hold in the state, which is in accordance with the rule gazette in the newspaper on Friday.
Obaseki in a gazette signed on May 28 and published on Friday, June 5, banned political gathering that could make direct primary possible in the state. In the Gazette, the Governor insisted that only indirect primary could be held in the state and in only one location.
The new rule reads in part, “That in respect of political gatherings for the purpose of conducting primaries for any of the parties desiring to field candidates in the forthcoming gubernatorial election, gatherings of more than 20 persons may be allowed, subject to the written approval of the Governor if such gatherings do not exceed 5,000 persons; hold in Benin City and in a single facility with a large seating capacity of not less than 10,000 persons; are provided with adequate health, safety and sanitary facilities and are COVID-19 response compliant with social distancing policy, hand-washing and proper use of face masks fully observed.”
Obaseki who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, told journalists on Saturday, “The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has said in its briefings that states should manage the pandemic through measures unique to their states.
“On the basis of that, we have deployed this measure in Edo State, the rule has been gazetted and so direct primaries cannot hold here as far as that regulation is concerned. So, it has to be indirect, in order to be working in line with the extant rule in the state.
“The only mode of primary that is permissible according to that law is indirect primaries, and we believe it is correct to do so because for that option, it is just one location and you can deploy all agencies of government responsible for ensuring compliance with the protocols.”
The National Chairman of the Governor’s party, APC, Adams Oshiomhole had earlier written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the party had adopted direct mode of primary in the state.
Osagie in responding to Oshiomole letter said, “He can write, and the fact that he wrote doesn’t mean that is what is going to happen. The rules have to be followed. Don’t forget that the first responsibility of the governor is to protect the lives and property of the people.”
However, INEC, through its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, had told journalists that the commission’s rules, regulations and laws only permeate the commission to relate with the national chairman and national secretary of political parties, insisting that the decision of the party chairman will only adhere to.
According to Okoye, “INEC does not deal with state branches of political parties in matters relating to or connected with the conduct of party primaries. Section 85(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) makes it mandatory for political parties intending to nominate candidates for elective offices to give the commission 21 days’ notice of its intention to conduct party primaries.
“In our rules and regulations, the letter to this effect is signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary of political parties indicating the date, time and venue for the conduct of party primaries and the mode of the primaries.
“The mode of primaries to be adopted by political parties is a function of their constitution, the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) and the regulations and guidelines issued by INEC.
“So, we don’t have business with state branches of political parties because our rules, regulations and laws say we should relate with the national chairman and the national secretary in terms of fixing party primaries, whether direct or indirect.
“The commission will not dictate to political parties the mode of primaries to adopt as it is a purely legal and party affair. What is certain is that the commission will monitor the primaries and provide protective equipment for its staff that will be involved in the process.”
