Analysts have proffered reasons why delegates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, may not take part in the forthcoming primaries of the party.
The inability of President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the Bill amending the provisions of the Electoral Act, has been fingered as a major factor why there may be no statutory delegates.
“Even if President Muhammadu Buhari signs the Bill into law, the amended Electoral Act will only regulate primaries for political parties in the next political dispensation” said a public policy analyst, Emeka Anyagwa.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have already commenced Primaries, while the APC will kick start its exercise on May 26.
Okoo Obla wrote “The implication is that even if President Buhari assent to the bill, today, the Electoral Act 2022 will be the law that will regulate the conduct of these primaries since different electoral laws can not regulate the primaries of APC and PDP.
“This will mean that the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) will only apply to future elections, not the 2022 Party primaries.
“It follows that statutory or autonomic delegates such as the President, Governors, members of the National and Assemblies, and members of political Parties’ executive committees will not participate and vote in the APC primaries starting on the 26 May 2022.
“Article 20 (iv) (c) of the APC constitution provides that all statutory delegates to the National Convention shall be members of the electoral Colleges for all elections for which candidates are to be nominated.
“However, since President Buhari has not signed the amendment bill to the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 20 of the APC is otiose and will not be applicable.
“The law in force is the Electoral Act 2022, not any other one. It is the one that will regulate the conduct of the party primaries.
“Accordingly, Article 20 (iv) (a) of the APC Constitution provides that Congress to nominate a candidate shall be done at a designated venue for that purpose, by an Electoral College of delegates democratically elected by members of the party from the various Wards contained in the particular constituency at congresses. These delegates are only the ones that will vote at the APC Primaries scheduled from 26-27 May 2022