By Gloria Ikibah
Former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, has praised the leadership of the All Progressives Congress for adopting direct primaries as the method for selecting candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ossai, who also serves as convener of the Tinubu-Sherrif Support Group, described the decision as a positive step towards strengthening participatory democracy within the party. According to him, the direct primary system provides a clearer reflection of a candidate’s popularity and acceptance among party members.
He spoke while addressing journalists shortly after submitting his nomination forms to contest for the Ndokwa East/West/Ukwuani Federal Constituency seat in Delta State ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The former lawmaker maintained that allowing party members to take part directly in the candidate selection process would improve transparency, reduce imposition and give grassroots supporters a stronger voice in shaping the party’s future.
He said, “The most democratic aspects of the lawmaking and the clause that the current 10th Assembly has put in place is the direct primary. And the APC National Working Committee has aligned with direct primary. You will see when the national chairman spoke, that was three or four days ago, he talked about it, that the APC National Working Committee has adopted direct primary.
“I think direct primary brings about what we call participatory democracy. And on that participatory democracy, you will see that whoever emerges victorious, there’s always that joy that you receive when a lot of those who voted for you from the beginning were party members. There’s that joy, there’s that feeling of fulfilment. I think that is the role we are going to play in the direct primary in Delta State. And I believe God that I’m popular”, he stated.
On why he wants to return to the House, Ossai explained that since his election into the State House of Assembly in 2012, he has contributed a lot to the development of his area and feels that he still has more to contribute.
“Today, I have also desired to come back to the green chamber, not the red chamber, to be able to address some of the needs of my people. You can see, when I came here, when I crossed to APC, I told you I’m going to bring PDP down, because the structure and number of PDP are broken. And the broom is the revolution.
“And today, I’m also using that platform of the broom revolution to address those critical needs that my people need. I think that’s why I’m here, for this clarification. I’ve kept my form; you can see it.
“You are seeing that it’s bulky, because a lot of achievement was done in the past. Most of these things are foreclosed, for the benefit of those who are going to screen me, for the benefit of the leadership of APC, because your resume speaks for you. And that’s why I’ve seen today.
“I’m not only academic. In the field of parliaments, in the field of politics, I’m there. When it comes to the practical nature of the politics on the ground, I’m there.
“And when it comes to the issues of oversight, the critical examination of the needs of our people and accountability, I’m there. In all aspects of the legislative, and that’s why they call me Legislative Metro. That means a complete nature of the parliament that I think I’m knowledgeable about”.
Speaking further on his time in office, Ossai Nicholas Ossai reflected on his record in the National Assembly, saying, “When I was Chairman of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, I dispatched issues relatively well. And I believe that those needs are very critical. When I also became the Chairman of the House Committee on Treaty and Agreements, I was able to do some critical examination of past agreements signed”.
On the issue of consensus arrangements during party primaries, the former lawmaker defended the system, noting that it could serve as a unifying mechanism within political parties.
“The 10th Assembly legislated Consensus. I think they have a good reason to legislate a consensus arrangement. Consensus can be built up when a family in a political party believes that we should give this a chance to allow one of us to go,” he stated.