Bashir Ahmad, a former aide to the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has claimed that Peter Obi and his supporters may be lobbying for the adoption of direct primaries within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Ahmad’s remarks follow the recent amendment to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly, which removed the provision allowing political parties to conduct direct primaries. The amendment was assented to on Thursday by President Bola Tinubu, effectively ending the option for direct primaries in Nigeria’s electoral framework.

Reacting on X, Ahmad said, “There were clear indications that Peter Obi and his supporters were pushing for the adoption of direct primaries within the ADC. The National Assembly erased the option of direct primaries for all political parties, and the amendment was today assented to by President Bola Tinubu.”

The development has sparked discussions among political observers, with some raising concerns about the potential implications for intra-party democracy and candidate selection processes ahead of future elections.