A presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has said there is no cause for alarm if the next presidential candidate of the ruling party emerges by concensus.
Fayemi, who spoke on Arise TV on Thursday on issues concerning the party’s primary which begins on Sunday, said consensus is not undemocratic, adding that it is the process through which a consensus candidate emerges that should be taken into account.
Speaking on the party’s planned consensus, Fayemi said, “I really think there’s no any cause for alarm, the party will do that which it must do. Don’t forget, we are also working with a deadline. The electoral management body has given the deadline of June 3 for all these processes to be completed. All I know is the All Progressives Congress would have a candidate presented to INEC, and I’m very certain about that.”
The Ekiti State governor added that there is provision for consensus in the APC constitution, with a new dimension introduced by the new electoral act.
He said, “I don’t necessarily think consensus is undemocratic. Consensus is not antithetical to democracy. I think it’s the process through which you arrive at consensus that should be taken into account. But if you want to talk about the party constitution, consensus is provided in the APC constitution. Direct election of all members is also provided for, and indirect election of delegates. So you’ve three options. The new electoral has introduced another dimension to consensus. If the party eventually decides to go for consensus, all competing aspirants must submit their own ambition to that person that is identified as the consensus candidate.
“So, really, once you get the vying of all aspirants and they agree on one person as the candidate representing the party, there’s nothing anti-democratic about that. However, I would prefer that we have a competition that would allow members of the party to examine competing visions. We have all been going round the country, we have all been sharing ideas on how to make Nigeria a better place, with those delegates and members of the party.
“Whatever the party decides to do, as long as it’s consistent with the constitution of the party and the electoral act, I don’t think I would have a problem with that.”
