Scrapping Indirect Primaries May Worsen Godfatherism — Ex-Benue AG Warns

By Abah Margaret

A former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Benue State, Mr Alex Ter Adum, has criticised the recent amendment to Nigeria’s electoral law that removed indirect primaries as one of the methods for selecting political party candidates.

Adum warned that the development could worsen political godfatherism and manipulation of party nomination processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The former justice commissioner raised the concern as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and political parties begin early preparations for the 2027 elections, with electoral reforms expected to influence how candidates emerge for major political offices.

Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, the legal practitioner and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said the removal of indirect primaries from the electoral framework leaves political parties with only two options—direct primaries and consensus—both of which, he argued, have significant weaknesses.

According to him, the previous electoral framework allowed three modes of primaries—direct, indirect and consensus—giving parties flexibility in choosing candidates. However, he noted that eliminating indirect primaries could weaken internal party democracy.

“Indirect primaries used to serve as a middle course between direct primaries and consensus. Now that it has been removed, we are left with two extremes. Consensus will rarely produce the best candidate, while direct primaries also come with serious logistical and manipulation challenges,” he said.

Adum explained that direct primaries, which allow all registered party members to vote at the ward level to choose candidates, appear democratic in principle but are often difficult to implement effectively.

He noted that many political parties lack credible membership registers and the organisational capacity to conduct such large-scale internal elections.

To illustrate his point, Adum cited the 2023 governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State where direct primaries were used to select the party’s candidate.

According to him, the results of the primary raised questions about credibility when compared with the outcome of the general election.

“In one ward you could see figures of about 10,000 people voting during the primaries, yet the numbers recorded during the general election were far lower.

“The candidate reportedly secured more than 800,000 votes during the primary, but in the general election the same candidate won with about 400,000 votes. That shows the kind of manipulation that can occur when the system lacks the infrastructure to verify the actual number of participants,” he said.

Adum acknowledged that indirect primaries also had challenges, particularly the tendency for aspirants to influence delegates through financial inducements.

“In many cases, delegates focus more on what they will take home rather than who the best candidate is. The highest bidder often becomes the candidate, even when there are more competent aspirants,” he noted.

Despite these shortcomings, he maintained that indirect primaries provided a practical balance between inclusiveness and administrative feasibility.

He also warned that reliance on consensus primaries could strengthen the influence of powerful political figures who dominate party structures.

“Consensus gives too much power to party leaders and political godfathers. Most times politicians justify consensus by saying they want someone they can control. That defeats the purpose of internal democracy,” Adum said.

He added that incumbent presidents and governors often influence consensus arrangements to determine who secures party tickets.

Adum further warned that the removal of indirect primaries could complicate candidate selection processes for political parties preparing for the 2027 general elections.

According to him, restricting parties to direct primaries and consensus could lead to more internal crises and legal disputes.

“When you examine the three systems critically, each has strengths and weaknesses. But in Nigeria’s political environment, it is better to retain all three options and allow political parties to adopt whichever suits them best,” he said.

The debate over the mode of conducting party primaries has remained one of the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s electoral reform process in recent years.

Under the Electoral Act 2022, political parties were allowed to adopt three methods for selecting candidates—direct primaries, indirect primaries, or consensus—depending on their party constitutions.

However, the recent amendment to the law removed indirect primaries as an option, leaving parties with only direct primaries and consensus.

The development has since sparked debate among legal experts, political analysts and party stakeholders who fear the change could significantly reshape the dynamics of candidate selection ahead of the 2027 general elections.