The All Progressives Congress is concluding plans to reduce the number of delegates at presidential primary elections scheduled for the end of this month.
According to reports gathered by The Punch, this was the decision of the National Executive Committee of the party having several meetings with the National chairman Chief John Oyegun.
Based on initial calculations, the number of delegates would have been 30,000 if all party officials from the ward up to the federal level were included. the plan was however jettisoned when it was discovered that about 30,000 delegates will be involved.
A highly placed party source, who pleaded for anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, said “It is only logical that we trim down the number from 300,000 to a manageable size of say 10,000 or 15,000 maximum.”
Meanwhile, the campaign office of General Muhammadu Buhari has again defended its call for consensus candidacy. Director-General of the General Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Umaru Dembo, said
“If the PDP can go for a consensus candidate and we are the biggest party on the other side, it will be normal, it will be alright if we also have a consensus (candidate) so that there wouldn’t be any rancour or worries.
“It is not that anybody is afraid of a contest. If the other candidates are willing to go for a consensus, so are we. If not, everybody will be ready for a contest.”
On Buhari’s official declaration, he said that it should take place on october 10 barring any last minute hitch.
“It was to have taken place on the (|October) 8 but because of so many things affecting logistics it cannot be more than two days after the 8th.”
The Managing Director of the Atiku Media Office, Mallam Garba Shehu, also defended the Atiku group’s support for the indirect primaries already agreed upon.
