Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) says it will stick to indirect primaries in electing candidates that will fly the party’s flag in the 2019 elections despite pressures from governors elected on its platform.

There has been growing divisions in the party between those who favour direct primaries preferred by President Muhammadu Buhari, the party’s National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and most of the APC governors led by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State.

Speaking with newsmen on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena said the party will not renege on the decision reached at its last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

Nabena said: “No, we have not yielded to the governors on indirect primaries. The states will go and bring their reports and the National Working Committee will take a look at it.

“We will want to know why they want indirect primary instead of the direct primary that we decided upon. Because it is only when there is logistics challenges like we agreed on at the NEC meeting.

“Not that people will just go and do a kangaroo meeting and come to say that they have agreed on indirect primaries. The NWC will take a critical look at it with the State Executive Committee before accepting.