A former aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, has suggested that Labour Party's former presidential candidate Peter Obi and his supporters were advocating for the use of direct primaries in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
This speculation arises amid a significant update to Nigeria's electoral framework: the National Assembly recently removed the option of direct primaries for political parties nationwide.
President Bola Tinubu signed the amendment into law on Thursday, effectively eliminating direct primaries from the Electoral Act and leaving parties with indirect (delegate-based) or consensus methods for candidate selection.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bashir Ahmad stated: “There were clear indications that Peter Obi and his supporters were pushing for the adoption of direct primaries within the ADC.
"The National Assembly erased the option of direct primaries for all political parties and the amendment was today assented to by President Bola Tinubu.”
The timing of Ahmad's comment ties into ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Peter Obi recently left the Labour Party and joined the ADC, along with his Obidient Movement supporters, as part of broader opposition efforts to consolidate under one platform.
Direct primaries, which allow all registered party members to vote directly for candidates, have been favored by some figures for promoting wider participation and reducing elite control.
Their removal has sparked debates about how it might affect aspirants like Obi, who reportedly enjoys strong grassroots support that could benefit from such a system.
Ahmad's allegation remains speculative, with no direct confirmation from Obi or the ADC on any prior push for direct primaries within the party.
The change to the Electoral Act now standardizes nomination processes across parties, potentially shifting focus to delegate systems or consensus arrangements for future contests.
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