The Chairman of Plateau state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), Latep Dabang has said the reason why the party wouldn’t give Governor Simon Bako Lalong automatic ticket is for sustenance of internal democracy in the party.
Dabang made the statement while reacting to the rumour making round that the party has taken a decision to give Lalong an automatic ticket ahead of 2019 poll.
Dabang who spoke with journalists at the party’s Secretariat in Jos also assured that there would be free, fair and credible primary election because it would give all the aspirants equal level-playing ground to showcase their manifestos.
He said, "We have never really endorsed anybody as our candidate, except I know in one of our last party’s stakeholders meeting at Yelwa Club the party has endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as a sole presidential candidate for Plateau. But for gubernatorial, we haven’t taken that decision."
He debunked the rumour making round that the party would only print one nomination form for Governor Lalong.
"The allegation wasn’t only baseless but unfounded. Nomination forms would be made available to anybody that want to contest and there would be free and fair primaries. The primaries would be conducted by the National Secretariat of APC, not by states executive committee of APC."
He explained that though the governor has received standing ovation by the party’s stakeholders when he declared his intention to seek re-election at the party’s executive meeting on Friday, but the party wouldn’t give him automatic ticket.
"We aren’t like other parties that were imposing candidates, we want internal democracy to prevail in our party," he said.