Shehu Sani, the Senator who represented Kaduna Central in the 8th Senate, on Saturday requested that the direct primaries of political parties, if passed, should be electronically transmitted.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that there is a raging debate on whether primaries of political parties should be direct or indirect.
The move to stop the retention of the direct primary clause in the Electoral Act Bill collapsed on Thursday.
Femi Gbajabiamila, the House of Representatives Speaker said President Muhammadu Buhari is in support of the direct mode of selecting candidates for elections by political parties.
Also, the National Assembly disclosed plans to forward the Electoral Act Bill to the President for assent.
Hailing the parliament for the retention of the clause, some All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains said it will foster greater participation of members in party affairs.
There had been a sharp disagreement between the National Assembly and governors over the direct mode.
While the Senate and the House of Representatives retained direct primary in the Electoral Act Bill, the governors are insisting on the indirect primary.
Gbajabiamila described the President as a product of direct primary because of his popularity, adding that he has opened up the political space for the youths to participate.
He noted that the indirect primary has not helped the growth of democracy.
He assured that the President would sign the Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law.
Gbajabiamila defended the direct primary, saying: “It (indirect primary) has been like that for a long time and it’s not helping our democracy. It is not growing and deepening our democracy.
Now, Sani, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has waded in — but with a demand.
“It will be good for direct primaries to be electronically transmitted too,” he wrote on his verified Twitter handle.
