Direct Primaries: Speaker, House of Reps pleads for President’s support

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, met with President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to sign the recently passed electoral amendment bill into law.

The Speaker after a meeting with journalists in Abuja said that his discussion with the President was to appeal for his support in conducting direct primaries by political parties as contained in the bill recently passed by lawmakers.

The bill has been opposed by many state governors, across the two main parties, who have urged the president not to sign it into law because of the clause that mandates political parties to conduct direct primaries in selecting candidates.

Apart from the governors, the main opposition party, PDP, is also opposed to the clause on direct primaries. Lawmakers believe that the conduct of direct primaries will take away the power governors currently have to determine who emerges candidate for elective offices in a state.

More details shortly…

Suzan O/PremT