BDP sets Tlokweng primary election date
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday January 25, 2017 16:55
Apparently, aspiring candidates were informed by the central committee yesterday. Mmegi has learnt that only one person who had wanted to contest for primaries has dropped out while others refused to compromise. Of late, the BDP has been encouraging its members to compromise on the issue of candidacy to avoid primaries.
The BDP has done well in some of the by-elections where it fielded a compromise candidate.
“It is true primary that primary elections for the Tlokweng by-election has been set on February 4. We just informed the members and now they are allowed to campaign within the party,” BDP secretary general Botsalo Ntuane said yesterday. He confirmed that Mantle Matlapeng has dropped from the contest. Others hopefuls are Thulaganyo Segokgo, Akanyang Seitshiro, Dr Phineas Molefe and Elijah Katse.
Efforts by the elders in the constituency to try to plead with five members to come up with consensus name hit a snag. “Failure by party members to agree is not good for the party, especially that this constituency has been in the hands of the opposition. We could win it if we had agreed to compromise. Primaries normally divide us as the BDP members,” a source said.
On other issues, Ntuane said those who are intending to contest for primary elections in the opposition held constituencies are expected to submit their names between July 1-17.
Ntuane said: “Constituencies are allowed to have meetings where they could agree on a consensus name of a candidate. The name will then be brought formally in July. This will allow the constituency to have time to campaign and look for materials that they will need in time. It could also help us to win the constituency”.
Ntuane reiterated that the central committee encourages consensus candidates.