Femi Falana, human rights advocate and senior lawyer, says a
consensus candidate cannot be imposed on a political party.
On Monday, Abdullahi Adamu, national chairman of the All
Progressives Congress (APC), announced senate President Ahmad Lawan as the
consensus presidential candidate for the party.
The announcement elicited strong disagreement among party
members, with the national working committee (NWC) members opposing his
position.
The NWC members said they will align with the position of
governors on power shift to the southern part of the country.
Citing sections 84 (9) (10) and (11) of the Electoral Act
2022, Falana said a consensus candidate cannot be imposed on a political party
by the president of the country or the chairman of a political party.
“As far as the Electoral Act is concerned, there can be no
consensus candidate without the consent of all aspirants,” he said.
The section stipulates the conditions under which a
political party may adopt a consensus candidate.
Section 84 (9) of the Electoral Act reads: “A political
party that adopts a consensus candidate shall secure the written consent of all
cleared aspirants for the position, indicating their voluntary withdrawal from
the race and their endorsement of the consensus candidate.
Subsection 10 states: “Where a political party is unable to
secure the written consent of all cleared aspirants for the purpose of a
consensus candidate, it shall revert to the choice of direct or indirect
primaries for the nomination of candidates for the aforesaid elective
positions.
Subsection 11 adds: “A special convention or nomination
congress shall be held to ratify the choice of consensus candidates at
designated centres at the National, State, Senatorial, Federal and State
Constituencies, as the case may be.
The ruling party is scheduled to elect its presidential
candidate for the 2023 election today.
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