The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ajibola Basiru, has denied claims that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, handpicked those who emerged victorious in the party’s primary elections in Rivers State.
Speaking during an interview with Arise News on Monday, Basiru clarified that Wike is not a member of the APC.
The APC secretary, however, added that the fact that Wike is not a member of the party does not mean those affiliated with him can not run on the platform of the party.
He insisted that those who emerged as winners from the APC primary elections in Rivers State, won a free and fair election, not because they are associated with Wike.
“You cannot empirically say that those who have won primary elections in the APC in Rivers State are linked to the umbilical cord of Minister Nyesom Wike. Everyone will be screened; everyone will aspire in his own name. Till tomorrow, Mr. Nyesom Wike has not said—and is not—a member of the APC. But the fact that he is not a member does not mean that people who are his allies will not decide to ventilate their political aspiration within the APC. Aside from the People’s Democratic Party, the only veritable machinery for winning an election in Nigeria today is the APC,” he argued.
The APC National Secretary denied claims that the party manipulated the outcome of its primaries by announcing the results of the primary elections at the national level.
He said the centralization of results was designed to ensure fairness and address complaints before final announcements were made.
“I don’t think that is a correct submission. The circular stated that results would be declared and collated, but the final announcement would be done at the National Headquarters. The logic is for us to be able to look at whatever complaint might have been addressed before a final pronouncement. Rather than seeing it as a way to undermine the process, it should be seen as a way to safeguard it and ensure the process receives fair treatment,” he insisted.
To further buttress his claim on the transparency of the process, Basiru highlighted the involvement of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which provided oversight of the primaries, adding that winners are properly recorded at every stage of the exercise before any final announcement is made.
“We are bound to do so because the Electoral Act mandates all political parties to inform INEC to monitor the processes. Whatever we are doing is being simultaneously monitored by the Independent Electoral Commission. There is always a default mentioning of those who have won that particular primary, so there is enough safeguard,” he said.