Direct or indirect primaries: The uniting factor is moneybag politics
Afe Babalola By Afe Babalola THE Electoral Act 2022 (as amended) provides for the system of nomination of candidates by political parties through primary elections ahead of presidential, state governorship, and legislative houses elections. Section 84(1) of the Electoral Act provides that a political party seeking to nominate candidates for election under this Act shall hold primaries for aspirants to all elective positions which shall be monitored by the Commission. Subsection 2 provides that the procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for the various elective positions shall be by direct, indirect primaries or consensus. Direct primaries, as described in subsection 4 of the Act, connotes that the members of the political party will be given an equal opportunity to vote for a party member of their choice as the nominated candidate of the party. It involves the participation of all registered members of a party in the selection of the party’s candidates. In...