The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress has picked the direct primary method for the Edo State governorship primaries scheduled for June 22, 2020.

It also granted a waiver to one of the aspirants, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, who is believed to be the preferred candidate of the APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole.

This, our correspondent gathered, was the outcome of the APC NWC meeting, held at the party’s National Secretariat, in Abuja, on Thursday.

The direct primary involves all registered card carrying members of the party in each local government of the state.

They would vote for an aspirant of their choice while the indirect primary is one in which delegates decide who gets the party’s ticket. There is also an option for consensus.

If an aspirant is adopted by consensus, delegates of the party are expected to vote “Yes” or “No” and a simple majority “Yes” vote guarantees the candidate’s place.

A source, who attended the meeting but asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said, “Yes, we agreed on the direct primary as the method of primary for the Edo State governorship election.”

On the issue of waiver, he said, “One of the aspirants applied for a waiver to enable him to contest in the primaries and it was granted.”

When asked if these decisions were taken at the NWC meeting, the National Vice-Chairman (South South), Hilliard Eta, said, “Yes.”

Asked if a decision was taken on the issue raised in the letter written by the Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuiabu, was discussed, he said, “It is a non-issue.”

The Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu, who was conspicuously absent from the meeting, said he did not attend because the contents of his letter were clear.

He simply said, “I cannot be a part of illegality.”

The former federal lawmaker had taken issue with the method adopted in choosing the party’s acting National Secretary.

According to him, the method was unknown to the APC constitution.

He further pointed out that the “APC constitution provides that party officials at the national level can only be elected at a convention and not by appointment.”

He further argued that since substantive occupants of positions in the NWC, such persons could act in such a capacity in the absence of their principals until such a time an election was held to fill the position.

Recall that The PUNCH had on Monday reported that the party was in quandary over which method of primary to adopt.

The Edo State APC Chairman, Anselem Ojezua, told our correspondent that based on a 2018 decision of the party’s National Executive Committee, the states decide which method best suited their situation and they would after agreeing send their decision to the NWC for implementation.

Thursdays NWC meeting which was chaired by Oshiomhole, had in attendance, the Deputy National Chairman (South), Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the National Secretary, Waziri Bulama, National Organising Secretary, Emma Ibidiro and National Legal Adviser, Babatunde Ogala.

Others include the National Vice-Chairman (North-West), Inuwa Abdulkadir and his counterpart from the South-South, Hilliard Eta.

Oshiomhole ....said, “I did not appoint Ize-Iyamu because of his past record. I would not be comfortable to put government money in his hand. That is why I kept him completely out of government.

“I did not even give him a board appointment. He was part of the government that looted the Edo State treasury. Do not put the key to your kitchen in the hands of someone you do not trust.

SadiqBabaSani:
from local feelers on ground, An Ize Iyamu Administration is a backdoor for The Igbenedions to Edo State money

SadiqBabaSani:
Oshiomole is an hypocrite, u hated godfatherism ad now u re ....

Racoon:
Another crisis is brewing up.Which one is direct primary & consensus candidate @ the same time? Same Pastor Ize-Iyamu Adams Oshiomole once call a criminal? Politics is truly a dirty game.

senatordave1:
That is real politics. that he hated a bad godfather.Doesn't mean he won't accept or even be a progressive godfather

princdebola201:
Oshomole + ize iyamu is too much for obaseki to handle .

Oshomole will clean up Edo north votes,

Ize iyamu will do the damage in Edo south cos he is way popular than obaseki in terms of grassroot politics.

Edo central is a divided votes.

Obaseki has lost already.

Igbosmoker:
obaseki won't even win a single local government in Edo south. Lmao this election will be the easiest in Nigeria

princdebola201:
let's give him and his Igbo supporters small hope

I knew he lost Edo south to ize iyamu last time, maybe he will be fortunate to get some votes with his power of incumbency

Igbosmoker:
I won't called them Igbo supporters but PDP supporters most igbos don't even care about obaseki

princdebola201:
let's give him and his Igbo supporters small hope

I knew he lost Edo south to ize iyamu last time, maybe he will be fortunate to get some votes with his power of incumbency