APC Aspirant Ajipe Champions Direct Primaries for Transparent Leadership Selection
Alex Ajipe, an aspirant for the Ondo North Senatorial seat under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has strongly advocated for the direct primary mode as the most credible system for political parties to choose their standard bearers. Speaking on Tuesday during a platform titled 'The Circuit' at the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC/Orange FM) newsroom in Akure, Ajipe emphasized that properly conducted direct primaries grant every party member the opportunity to select leaders transparently, ensuring quality representation for the people.
Direct Primaries: A Cost-Effective and Transparent Pathway
While addressing the topic 'Scaling the Hurdles of Bad Governance through Qualitative Representation', Ajipe maintained that direct primaries, when executed correctly, offer a cost-effective and transparent pathway for party members to exercise their franchise. He described the ideal primary election as one where members simply queue behind their preferred candidate, with officials counting them manually and recording the figures in a clear and open manner.
"If direct primaries are done the way they're supposed to be done, then I think it will be the best way to elect either a representative or any of our officers," Ajipe stated. "So I want to believe that by the grace of God we'll be able to have people who are patriotic enough to do things the right way, and the most popular candidates will always emerge in different political parties and eventually become the occupier of that particular seat."
Criticism of Political Cliques in Ondo State
In a related development, Ajipe expressed disapproval of what he termed a prevailing political culture in Ondo State, where federal appointees and legislators allegedly form cliques to oppose incumbent governors in pursuit of personal political ambitions. He called for an end to such antagonism, urging political appointees, especially those at the federal level, to unite with the governor to deliver democratic dividends to the citizens.
"I want to say that it is high time we look back, restrain ourselves, and see that there will be a synergy and unity of purpose so that we don't just continue to fight ourselves," Ajipe remarked. "Because the truth of the matter is that everybody will get to where he's going to get to. Anybody that knows the story of Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa will know that it is only God that can get you to where you want to get to."
Opposition to Part-Time Legislature in Nigeria
On the question of whether Nigerian legislators should serve part-time, Ajipe stressed that the country's unique challenges demand full-time representatives. He insisted that Nigerians must evaluate their legislators based on the quality of representation provided, rather than considering a shift to part-time roles that might compromise effectiveness in addressing national issues.
Media and Civil Society Perspectives on Governance
During the event, Odunayo Sawyerr, Chairman of the NUJ OSRC/Orange FM Chapel, highlighted that bad governance in Nigeria poses obstacles such as corruption, which undermines public confidence and hinders progress, leaving citizens facing development challenges. "Our deliberation today compels us to surmount these impediments through resolute and principled representation," Sawyerr noted. "Qualitative representation fundamentally transforms this paradigm; it entails leaders distinguished by proficiency, empathy, and accountability."
She cited Chief Obafemi Awolowo's qualitative representation in the Western Region, which led to universal education and healthcare, as an example of overcoming governance deficits. "In contemporary Nigeria, this ethos must permeate our National Assembly, with legislation that allocates resources to critical sectors and oversight that restrains executive excesses," she added.
Kenneth Odusola Stevenson, Director-General of the OSRC Media Group, and Taiwo Ibitoye, Director of News and Current Affairs, commended the topic as timely. They emphasized that qualitative representation thrives when the media insists on transparency and exposes malfeasance, underscoring the role of journalism in fostering accountable governance.
