APC Primaries: A dangerous precedent that could jeopardize internal democracy

I hope the All Progressives Congress (APC) fully understands the legal and political implications of the strange method being adopted in the conduct of its Senatorial and House of Representatives primaries.

The conduct of Senatorial and House of Representatives primary elections is fundamentally different from that of a Presidential primary election. While Presidential election results are collated nationally and officially declared by the national headquarters, the legislative elections are constituency-based exercises. Their results are traditionally counted, collated, and announced within the Senatorial Districts and Federal Constituencies where the elections are conducted.

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Unless there has been a recent amendment to the Electoral Act that Nigerians are unaware of, it is difficult to understand how elections conducted in one locality can have their results transported elsewhere for declaration. Such a procedure appears alien to the democratic traditions and electoral practices that have guided Nigeria since the return to democracy in 1999.

Conducting elections in one place and announcing the results in a completely different location stands logic on its head. It defeats the very essence of transparency and accountability that elections are meant to uphold. The people who participated in the exercise, the aspirants, party officials, observers, and stakeholders are all present at the venue of the election. Why then should the results be hidden from them and taken elsewhere for declaration.
What is the reason behind conducting elections and hiding the results.

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If the party leadership fully appreciates the dangers inherent in this approach, I doubt they would contemplate it. The implication is troubling. By the same logic, one could argue that Presidential election results may someday be announced outside Nigeria. Such reasoning is absurd and dangerous to democratic norms.

This emerging practice resembles a self-inflicted political landmine capable of causing serious damage to the APC. It raises avoidable suspicions and undermines confidence in the credibility of the party’s internal democratic processes.

For nearly two weeks, the results of some of these primary elections have remained unknown to both winners and losers, despite reports that the exercises were conducted peacefully. Why should election results be withheld after votes have been cast and counted? What justification exists for such secrecy?

Democracy thrives on transparency, openness, and accountability. Elections are public exercises in which party members openly cast their votes for candidates of their choice. Therefore, there should be nothing secret about the outcome of such exercises.

Political parties are not secret societies. They are democratic institutions expected to operate in accordance with established rules and principles. The current practice of keeping election results under lock and key creates unnecessary doubts about the integrity of the process.

What kind of democracy are we practicing when election results from a publicly conducted exercise are hidden from the very people who participated in it? Why should party members be left in suspense over an exercise that was conducted openly and peacefully? Such actions only breed mistrust, speculation, and unnecessary controversy.

Even more puzzling is the silence from relevant authorities regarding a development that many party members consider irregular. If elections have been concluded peacefully, why should the results be treated as classified information?

The APC leadership, particularly the National Working Committee, owes party members and Nigerians a clear explanation. Transparency is not a favour; it is a democratic obligation.

Political parties are not personal enterprises where a few individuals can impose arbitrary procedures without accountability. Every action taken must inspire confidence among members and strengthen, rather than weaken, the democratic process.

The world is watching Nigeria. As the Giant of Africa and the most populous Black nation on earth, our democratic practices are constantly under international scrutiny. The manner in which our political parties conduct their affairs contributes significantly to how Nigeria is perceived globally.

Actions that suggest secrecy, opacity, or manipulation do not strengthen our democratic credentials. Rather, they diminish public confidence and raise questions about our commitment to democratic principles. We must not permit actions that erode public trust in our electoral system or create dangerous precedents capable of undermining democracy in the future.

I therefore urge the APC leadership to retrace its steps and return to established democratic procedures. As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine.

The party’s political opponents are observing these developments closely. APC must avoid creating circumstances that could expose it to legal challenges, internal divisions, and avoidable political embarrassment.

Democracy should never be shrouded in secrecy. It must remain transparent, credible, and accountable to the people. Any practice that diminishes these values should be immediately reviewed and discarded.

Nigerians must remain vigilant in defending the democratic values that have been painstakingly built over the years. Democracy should not be weakened by the interests of a few individuals at the expense of the collective will of the people.

Akwu Umar Goodman
Member, All Progressives Congress (APC)

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