Buhari backs direct primary option, Gbajabiamila reveals

Speaker of House of representatives, Chief Femi Gbajabiamila on Thursday said that President Muhammadu Buhari is in support of the direct primary for political parties to produce candidates for elections.

The Speaker stated this in an interview with State House correspondents after meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The Nation reports there had been a sharp disagreement between members of the National Assembly and Governors over the mode of primaries for different political parties.

While the Senate and the House of Representatives in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill approved direct primaries for political parties, the Governors are insisting on indirect primaries.

But the Speaker said that Buhari has been a product of direct primaries because of his popularity, adding that direct primaries open up the political space for the youths to participate.

He noted that the indirect primary, which has been the practice in the selection of candidates for political parties for elections, has not helped the growth of democracy in the country.

He gave the assurance that the President would soon sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law as he is back from official engagements.

On whether Buhari is in support of direct primaries, he said: “Mr President has always been. We all know that. The whole world knows that. He has always been from his inception in politics because he is a very popular man.”