“APC primaries mocked democracy, not merit” — Arise

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and aspirant for the Ekiti North Senatorial District ticket, Senator Ayodele Arise, has maintained that the recently conducted primaries of the ruling party were a sham and cast aspersions on democracy.

Senator Arise made the remarks at the weekend while speaking with journalists in Abuja.
It will be recalled that the APC committee that supervised the process declared the sitting lawmaker representing Ekiti North, Senator Cyril Fasuyi, as the winner.
Apart from Senator Arise, other contenders for the ticket, Honourable Dipo Bamisaye and Dare Owolabi, have also rejected the outcome, describing it as fraudulent and manipulated.
Arise, who represented the senatorial district between 2007 and 2011, stated that the ruling party continues to pay lip service to internal democracy.
According to him, “When we talk about internal democracy, it is still a very big challenge. It is one thing for us to have a constitution and another thing entirely for people to circumvent it or the guidelines guiding any election. That was demonstrated in no small measure when I tried to return through the primary.
“Because I knew what was in the pipeline, I went into it to prove a point. It will be a shame if some of us pass through this country without having the voice to correct the anomalies and let people know that if we want to practise democracy, then we should practise it. If we do not want it, that is a different matter.
“The experience I had during the primary is something I do not want to overemphasise because I believe the chairman of the party has spoken with Mr President, and I think they are looking into all the challenges. I am sure those of us who worked and won our elections will eventually be given our mandate.”
Arise expressed confidence that the appeal panel set up by the APC National Working Committee would fairly consider his petition.
“I am not lobbying, but I have presented the facts and submitted them to those reviewing the election. I believe we still have people of good conscience in positions of authority in this country who know what is right.
“Going forward, we should put guidelines in place to ensure that people do not misunderstand democracy to mean that someone in power should simply appoint individuals into various positions.
“We want to showcase the best in our country and demonstrate that we understand what democracy is all about. We want to know who the people truly want to represent them. This is a continuous learning process, and I believe improvements will continue to be made.
“A lot has improved in our electoral process over the past 27 years, and credit must be given to those who have refined some of these procedures. As challenges emerge, people respond to them, and I believe more than anyone else that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been proactive in addressing these issues and ensuring corrections are made before it is too late.
“As far as internal democracy within political parties is concerned, we still have a long way to go, but I am optimistic that we will continue to improve on a daily, quarterly and yearly basis.”
The aspirant attributed the recurring crises surrounding party primaries to the overwhelming influence of sitting governors.
“The issue of governors remains a major challenge for anyone seeking election into the Senate. Even when you are not contesting directly against them, if you are not their preferred candidate, your chances become extremely difficult.
“The reason is that political office and governance in Nigeria have come to be viewed as avenues for wealth accumulation. When someone becomes a governor, resources meant for the common good are often diverted. Therefore, attempting to challenge a governor who wants to move to the Senate becomes a very difficult task because of the financial advantage available to him, much of which comes from public resources.
“I do not know how we can overcome this unless individuals work hard enough to become financially independent and capable of competing on an equal footing.
“There is now something called ‘the system’. I have never heard of such a concept in any true democracy. People now say, ‘the system has captured this one; he is the one who will get the ticket.’ These are some of the issues we must begin to correct. As far as the governors are concerned, the Senate has become a retirement home for them.”
Assessing President Tinubu’s Democracy Day broadcast, the APC chieftain described the address as encouraging, noting that it highlighted both the achievements of the administration and the challenges facing the country.
“I listened to the speech, and it was a message of encouragement to Nigerians. It was also a speech rooted in reality, reminding us that progress does not happen overnight.
“If you are building a house, you know it may not be completed in six months; some projects take a year or more because of various challenges that arise along the way.
“But in terms of laying a solid foundation and strengthening democracy, I believe Mr President is doing well by showcasing some of his achievements and outlining plans for the continued development of the country,” he said.