The Peoples Democratic Party has described the approval of direct primary for all political parties by the Senate as retrogressive.
According to the party, the decision by the “APC-controlled Senate is a humongous blow to the development of democratic norms and a plot to introduce anarchy during internal party elections as currently obtainable in the APC.”
The Party in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday said the provision “seeks to wipe off all the gains achieved in our electoral practice since 1999.”
The party further claimed that the provision is aimed at increasing the costs of nomination procedures thereby surrendering the processes to money bags against the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians.
“Our party makes bold to state that with the exception of the APC, which intends to deploy looted funds in future election, hardly will there be any political party that will be able to raise the cost of conducting internal elections under a direct primary process.
“This is why the decision of the Senate has elicited widespread rejection from Nigerians across board.
“The PDP, therefore, urges the Senate to immediately deploy its appropriate legislative instruments to reverse itself on the direct primary as it is not operable and does not reflect the wishes and aspiration of majority of Nigerians,” the PDP said.
