FCT APC warns against monetary incentives, adopts indirect primaries

The FCT All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned political aspirants against monetary incentives to voters during the 2019 elections.

Similarly, the party adopted indirect primaries for its elections.

The Chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Mr Abdullahi Candido, said this at a meeting with stakeholders on Thursday in Abuja.

Candido, however, described the act of using money for elections as unnecessary, adding this usually leads to voting of wrong candidates into offices.

”We have advised our party members especially our excos to approach this election with no thinking of unnecessary monetary incentives.

”If they do, our fear is that inducement by aspirants could lead to a party getting a wrong candidate for the election and therefore they should de-emphasise the issue collections of little stipends from party aspirants.

”They should identify the best whether he has money or he doesn’t have money,” he said.

Candido further explained that the indirect primaries mode was healthier and would curb the excesses of hooliganism during elections.

Also, Mr Yamawo Tanko, Director, Satellite Town Development Department (STDD), said that the indirect primaries would be done by the party delegates.

Tanko said that the delegates include: party excos from the ward, local governments, the states and some political office holders.

“This will be the indirect primaries not the direct primaries where every card-carrying member of the party will queue up and elect a candidate.

“It is going to be purely party excos. I believe it is going to be a hitch free primaries,” Tanko said.

In his remarks, Abdulmalik Usman, Chairman, FCT APC, said that the constitution of the party allows direct and indirect primaries as well as consensus.

Usman explained that the indirect primaries was adopted so as to maintain peace in the FCT, adding that it has always been like that in the previous elections.

“We have been one family since the beginning of crises in APC, we have never witnessed crisis in FCT,” he said.

Earlier, Sen. Sidi Ali, who read the communiqué, said that the executive and stakeholders unanimously approved the position of indirect primaries.

Ali noted that the indirect primaries would help produce credible candidates for the 2019 general elections.