A former National Vice Chairman, North-West, of Nigeria’s ruling party – All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman explained that imposition of candidates is rampant in the party because relevant party organs are not meeting.
Lukman offered this explanation in a statement which was made available to Africa Today News, New York on Monday.
He said that the imposition of candidates would be reduced if party organs met regularly and that party financial issues needed to be rectified to go beyond the existing reality of relying on elected representatives for party organs to become functional.
Lukman called for deliberate reforms in the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general election.
He said, “The whole issue of activating all party structures and making them functional in line with provisions of the APC Constitution must be guaranteed.
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“Once APC, being the ruling party, can operate based on provisions of its Constitution, the campaign to reform Nigerian politics and expand democratic space will be made much easier.
“If organs of the party are meeting regularly, problems of impositions of candidates will be minimized.
“In any case, issues leading to imposition of candidates are made possible and stronger because organs of the party vested with the responsibility of decisions regarding party primary are undermined.
“Consequently, party stakeholders who should have a say in decisions that can guarantee free and fair primary are marginalized.
“As much as party organs are meeting as prescribed by the party Constitution, incidences of imposition will be minimized.”
In another report, Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle has lashed out at the Northern Elders Forum berating them for saying the North regrets voting for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration over its policies vowing the North will not make the same mistake again.
Matawalle made this known on Saturday in a statement he personally signed which was obtained by Africa Today News, New York.
He described the forum as a political paperweight seeking recognition from the government for relevance and living in delusion.