My attention was drawn to the above media statement credited to a leader in Edo north APC, Chief Malik Afegbua (I am sure most of you must have read it as well) that present office holders in national and state assemblies will be given automatic ticket by the party in our forthcoming primaries ahead 2023 elections.
He has not refuted this to the best of my knowledge. And if he did it should be given wide circulation and publicity as well.
However, I want to state very clearly that the mode of selection of party candidates to be presented to INEC and subsequently in a general election is very clearly stated in the constitution of the party.
This is 2021 and not 1999 when people will just sit down in the comfort of their homes and endorse candidates. We must be extremely careful as a party.
I thought that by now we as a party should have learnt our lessons albeit in a bitter form.
If the present occupants have done well, it should be the joy of the party to encourage them to showcase their records and invariably stand tall head and shoulder above their challengers.
The youths of the party and indeed members of the general public are waiting patiently, observing with keen interest how we organize our internal democratic process.
We have gone through so much in recent times that what we need is careful and strict adherence and observance of our own constitution and other electoral laws (as amended) of the federal republic of Nigeria.
Having said this i once again wish our numerous party members a merry Christmas and new year in advance.
I end this statement with a quotation from the holy Bible in 1st Corinthians 10:12 that goes thus
‘he that thinketh he standeth take heed lest ye fall’
Kind regards
Signed
Taiwo F. Akerele
(aka Karl Marx)
Former chief of staff, former SSA on economic planning and former state coordinator EU/IDA project and a staunch, loyal and founding member of AD/AC/ACN and now APC.