Pastor Adewale Giwa, the Senior Pastor of Awaiting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ Ministry, has urged political parties to adopt direct primaries, stating that it is the most effective way to ensure the emergence of better candidates.
Highlighting the transparency of the direct primaries process compared to the traditional indirect primaries, he emphasized the need for a more open and fair method of electing leaders.
According to the cleric, indirect primaries often result in outcomes that are susceptible to external influence and manipulation, fostering a culture where delegates are swayed by monetary inducements instead of considering the character and qualities of the aspirants. This, in turn, promotes godfatherism within the political sphere, ultimately affecting the electorate negatively.
Giwa stressed that a state’s reliance on a few individuals to handpick its leaders severely compromises the potential for genuine development within such a society.
He also commended the All Progressives Congress (APC) for adopting direct primaries in Edo, citing it as a significant improvement for the system and asserting that failure to do so may lead to problems and confusion within a party.
Comparing direct and indirect primaries, Giwa pointed out that the former goes by the opinion of the people, while the latter allows only a few individuals to determine the outcome, potentially leading to the emergence of poor and unethical leaders.
Expressing skepticism about the evaluation of Aiyedatiwa’s performance by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Giwa questioned whether the potential governor knew the state’s needs and had a grassroots understanding of its issues.
Giwa also criticized the practice of allowing some individuals to handpick a leader for a state, asserting that it hinders the development of such a society and leads to leaders dancing to the whims and caprices of their benefactors when in power.