Yet all taxpayers pay for these conventions and the cost of the
primary election. This is not fair to taxpayers who are not members of the two political parties (some 39 percent of eligible voters).
The court might even say we should conduct another
primary election. Court will have to decide before I let go.'
After reaching toward the ideological extremes to win their parties' nomination in the
primary election, candidates scurry back to the political center in the general election campaign.
Justice Adepoju held that the PDP National Working Committee cannot hold a valid
primary election without recourse to the Ogun State chapter of the party or outright approval of the party until the judgment against it by Justice Buba has been set aside by a higher court.
He won the
primary elections by 1 485 to 797 of former MP, Mr John Toto.
But beyond those races, the
primary election loses some of its usual luster.
Because the business of
primary election was for the committee to pay a courtesy call to the party and they go away to do their job.
Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, BDP secretary general, Mr Mpho Balopi said as a party they pride themselves for having relentlessly over the years managed to hold their
primary elections without fear.
According to him: 'The leadership and some critical stakeholders of the APC Aspirants Forum had serious engagements with some powerful elder statesmen, stakeholders and delegations from the Presidency to address the most serious grievances of our loyal and committed members of the forum across the country during the recently concluded
primary elections.
A news release from BDP states that in accordance with the BDP regulations for conduct of
primary elections and the constitution of the BDP, the elections will be conducted under the supervision of the electoral board.
The aggrieved politician added that: 'They sold forms to us, screened and cleared us to run without telling us that we had any problems, but they didn't provide a fair playing ground to all the aspirants during the
primary elections. In fact, no election had taken place, they only nominated candidates for the party.'
THE crisis over the conduct of
primary elections by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi state continued on Tuesday as aspirants from Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu federal constituency demanded immediate conduct of a free, fair, transparent and credible
primary election for the constituency.