Kano APC Adopts Direct Primaries for 2019 Polls

By Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano

Ahead of the 2019 general election, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State has endorsed direct primaries as a means of selecting candidates that will fly the party’s flag in all elective positions.

Rising from a meeting held Tuesday, the state Executive Committee of the party said the decision stands to improve the stock of the APC in the coming 2019 election as well as other elections.

A press statement signed by the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas Sanusi, said APC will adopt direct primaries for selecting candidates for the presidency, governorship, National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives) as well as the state legislative elections.

The decision was unanimously endorsed by the state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Senators Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya and Senator Barau Jibrin,13 members of the House of Representatives led by the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, 33 members of the state House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Hon. Kabiru Al Hassan Rurum, 53 state executive members of the committee of the party, 44 elected chairmen of the party and 44 local government party chairmen, as well as secretaries of the party in the 44 councils.

It said direct primaries for selecting candidates stand to imbue greater confidence among members of the party, guarantees openness in governance and ensure free and fair election.

Sanusi also pointed out that the party in the state believes that direct primaries give more transparency to political participation and regaining the confidence that has been lost over time as the process of selecting candidates gets increasingly mired in secrecy.

While calling for the support of party members, the chairman also implored them to always be peaceful and law abiding.