The need to eradicate Ad-hoc and Statutory Delegates in Nigeria elections  

Author: Jude Ezeh

There are two main types of primary elections in Nigeria: direct and indirect. In direct primaries, all registered party members in a constituency vote to pick the party’s candidate. Whereas in indirect primaries, a few party members are chosen from the local party congresses. These few party members chosen at the local party congresses are referred to as delegates. And it is these delegates that get to vote to determine the candidate in that indirect primary election. Delegates chosen towards a gubernatorial election are called ad-hoc delegates, while delegates chosen towards a presidential election are called statutory delegates. Ad-hoc delegates are picked by holding congresses in the wards of a respective state. Statutory delegates can include the likes of president, vice president, governor, deputy governors, senators, members of the house of representatives and of state assemblies, local government chairpersons and their deputies, ward councillors, and chairperson of the party in all of the 774 local government areas. Unlike direct primaries, Indirect primaries which give birth to both ad-hoc and statutory delegates are more prone to manipulation by party leaders and ‘godfathers,’ which is why I am a strong proponent that there be a need to eradicate both the ad-hoc and statutory delegates in Nigeria elections. In conveying reasons as to why, I will be sure to mention why many pundits in Nigeria are for having delegates, why having delegates is bad for the Nigeria democracy, why that having delegates does not help with keeping up with an up to date voter registration database, and why having delegates does not seem to enhance the expertise of political consultancy as well. 

Many pundits in Nigeria are for having delegates; be it ad-hoc only delegates or statutory only delegates. There are some who do not hold true to the idea of statutory delegates but ad-hoc delegates alone. This group of individuals seem to only see statutory delegates as being undemocratic and not known in advanced democracy. It could be that they have no problem with ad-hoc delegates because they are ad-hoc delegates themselves or because they are beneficiaries to all that having ad-hoc delegates has got to offer them. And there are others who do not hold true to the idea of ad-hoc delegates; and care less on not minding having statutory delegates. This particular group of individuals are perhaps either registered party members, and or regular citizens who are just not a registered party member. And they clearly do not find indirect primaries democratic. To me, all groups of voters and citizens are right to some extent as having delegates decide the outcome of a primary election be it in a gubernatorial or presidential election are totally wrong and undemocratic. They are wrong and undemocratic because they clearly are not free and fair as it seeks to disenfranchise party members from participating in the process of who emerges as their party’s flag bearer. It also gives room to vote buying, unfair practices, and it makes it easy for the delegates to be harassed, threatened, and abused by political touts. irrespective of whoever is I beg to differ. 

There is an expression that says leaders are simply reflections of those who voted them into offices. This can be simplified to mean that leaders who emerge as a result of an indirect primary are a reflection of the delegates who voted them in their party’s primary election. Having delegates is not just unhealthy, but totally bad for the Nigerian democracy. It is bad because of its low party’s members ‘ participation levels. How can a few only called delegates participate in the election of a leader and yet expect the leader to be a representation of all people? 

why having delegates is bad for the Nigeria democracy, 

why that having delegates does not help with keeping up with an up to date voter registration database, and

 why it does not seem to enhance the expertise of political consultancy as well. 

It does not help with keeping an updated voter registration database

Not good for political consultants

Undemocratic / disenfranchises voters/citizens from participating