The leadership of the All Progressives Congress has acceded to the insistence of state chapters of the party to decide the mode of primary for the selection of candidates for the 2019 elections.
The decision was reached after an over three hours meeting between the APC National Chairman and the partyโs 22 governors at the Imo State Governorโs Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, on Wednesday night.
The party had after its last National Executive Council meeting announced the direct method of primary for choosing its candidates.
It said States wishing to use the indirect method must agree with stakeholders in the states and write the National Secretariat. The letter is expected to be signed by a majority of members of the state executive committee.
Some stakeholders especially members of the National Assembly had insisted on the direct mode arguing that the indirect method was easily manipulated by governors who could manipulate delegates.
Governors, however, insisted on the indirect method after Oshiomhole had on several occasions announced the partyโs preference for the direct primary. The presidential primary will, however, be by the direct method.
After Wednesdayโs meeting, Oshiomhole told reporters โMy task and the task of the party is clear. We have a tradition as a progressive party to submit ourselves to the dictates of our party and we believe in internal democracy because we are democrats and democracy must begin from within the house before we can do it outside.