Senator Ndume
Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume representing Borno South Senatorial District has said that he moved the motion for the endorsement of indirect mode of voting of primaries for all elective positions in the All Progressive Congress (APC) during a meeting in Maiduguri, because the prerequisite needed to conduct Direct Primaries was absolutely absent in the state.
During the meeting, the State Secretary of APC, Bello Ayuba called on the stakeholders to raise a motion for the endorsement, in which, Senator Ndume moved a motion for adoption of the indirect primaries and seconded by Hon. Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, Member, House of Representatives, representing Damboa/Chibok/Gwoza Federal Constituency and both from Gwoza Local Government Area.
This development, according to political pundits, would draw a political battle between former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff’s faction who want ‘Direct Primaries’ and that of governor Kashim Shettima who chose to go for indirect primaries.
Addressing journalists at his Maiduguri residence, Ndume said, even though he is an advocate of Direct Primaries, lack of proper online registration of APC members, paucity of funds, security situation among other reasons in the state could not guaranty the party to go for the Direct Primary option.
On the increasing cases of killings and bombings, especially the recent Boko Haram ambush in Northern Borno villages where over 40 soldiers were allegedly killed and the attacks in Pulka, Gwoza Local Government Area, the former Senate Majority leader said, it was a worrisome development, which if not curtailed will have direct negative effects on the conduct of elections in the state.
His words: “I am one of the advocates of direct primaries, but here in Borno, almost all the requirements needed to conduct direct primaries on the platform of our great party are not there. We found out that if we go for Direct Primaries, most of our members have not registered their membership online, lack of funds, security situation and so many reasons forced us to opt out of direct primaries and unanimously endorsed indirect primaries.
He denied the allegation that it was the Governor, Kashim Shettima that sponsored them to endorse indirect primaries.
