By Our Correspondent
National News – A former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Benue State, Dr Alex Ter Adum, has warned that removing indirect primaries from Nigeria’s electoral framework could worsen political manipulation and strengthen godfatherism ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The legal practitioner said the amendment limiting political parties to direct primaries and consensus may weaken internal party democracy and create new disputes in candidate selection.
The ex-Benue justice commissioner criticised the recent amendment to Nigeria’s electoral law which removed indirect primaries as one of the methods for selecting party candidates.
According to him, the previous framework under the Electoral Act allowed three options — direct primaries, indirect primaries, and consensus — giving political parties flexibility in choosing candidates.
However, the new law leaves parties with only two methods, which he described as “extreme options.”
Adum explained that direct primaries, which allow all registered party members to vote at the ward level, appear democratic but are difficult to manage in practice.
He noted that many political parties in Nigeria lack accurate membership registers and the organisational capacity required to conduct large-scale internal elections effectively.
To illustrate his concerns, he referenced the 2023 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State, where direct primaries were reportedly used.
According to him, figures from the primaries appeared inconsistent with the results recorded during the general election, raising concerns about credibility and potential manipulation.
Despite acknowledging the weaknesses of indirect primaries, including allegations of vote-buying and delegate inducement, Adum argued that the system still provided a workable balance between participation and administrative efficiency.
Delegates, he said, make the voting process easier to track and verify compared to large-scale direct primaries.
He also cautioned that relying heavily on consensus primaries could strengthen the influence of political godfathers and powerful party leaders who may impose candidates on party members.
According to Adum, consensus arrangements often allow incumbents and party elites to determine who secures the party ticket, which could undermine internal democracy.
He warned that removing indirect primaries from the electoral framework could increase internal party crises, disputes, and litigation as political parties prepare for the 2027 general elections.
