The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has urged the National Assembly to remove clauses on direct primary election in the 2021 Electoral Amendment Bill.
The inclusion is a major reason delaying assent to the bill by President Muhammadu Buhari.
On Monday, IPAC said while many may not concede to the explanation of security challenges he posited, logistics and financial burden to be incurred would be huge in 2023.
The Chairman, Yabagi Sani, at a news conference in Abuja, warned that direct primary elections will overstretch the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Sani reacted to arguments that no amount of money can be too high in the efforts to sanitise the electoral process and calls on the legislature to overrule the president.
The politician said to the organization, which has 18 registered political parties, such an action may be tantamount to a wholesale wrecking of the boat.
“The country at this stage of its democracy does not appear to be sufficiently ripe and prepared for the direct primary election model in the selection of political party flag bearers.
“The use of veto by the legislature may merely result in a fruitless exercise if at the end of the day, its implementation is not supported by the required funding by the executive”, he noted.
IPAC agrees with the opinion that National Assmbly’s stand on indirect primaries was an attempt to usurp the constitutional rights of parties on how to select candidates.
The body told the legislature to be more concerned about ensuring the integrity of electoral process, reducing the costs of democratic practices and making democracy more resilient.
