APC Dismisses Allegation of Candidate Imposition in Abia Governorship Race

A governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, Mascot Uzor‑Kalu, has raised concerns over what he described as a plot by party leaders to impose a preferred candidate ahead of the party’s gubernatorial primaries.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Uzor-Kalu rejected reports of a stakeholders’ meeting scheduled to hold in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, alleging that the gathering was being organised under the guise of mobilising support for the re-election campaign of Bola Ahmed Tinubu but may actually be aimed at endorsing a particular aspirant.

According to him, members of the APC State Executive, Local Government Area (LGA) chairmen and selected stakeholders were reportedly directed to mobilise at least 20 party members per ward to attend the meeting.

Uzor-Kalu warned that any attempt to adopt a consensus candidate without the participation and consent of all aspirants contesting for the governorship ticket would be unacceptable and legally invalid.

He said credible information available to him suggested that the meeting was part of a “premeditated plan” to impose a candidate on the party through what he termed an endorsement charade.

“Any consensus arrangement orchestrated by the State Working Committee and selected stakeholders without the involvement of all aspirants contesting for the same position is illegitimate and null and void from the outset,” he stated.

The aspirant further cautioned the party’s State Working Committee (SWC) against engaging in actions that could undermine internal democracy within the party. He stressed that party executives were elected to ensure fairness and transparency rather than promote the ambitions of particular individuals.

Uzor-Kalu maintained that he would not step down from the race under pressure, insisting that every Abia citizen has the constitutional right to seek elective office.

“The era of coercion, backdoor arrangements and political puppetry is over,” he said, adding that any move to impose a candidate would be strongly resisted.

However, the Abia State chapter of the APC has dismissed the allegation, describing it as unfounded.

Speaking on the matter, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, denied that the State Working Committee had endorsed any aspirant.

Aguoru explained that the party leadership in the state, under the State Chairman, Chijioke Chukwu, remains committed to ensuring a transparent and credible primary election.

He described the alleged endorsement as non-existent, insisting that the party had no preferred candidate.

“The alleged endorsement exists only in the imagination of those raising such concerns,” Aguoru said.

He added that the APC leadership in Abia was determined to provide a level playing field for all aspirants and would conduct its primaries in a free, fair and transparent manner.

According to him, concerns raised by aspirants are not unusual during the political process, as contestants often seek assurances regarding fairness ahead of party primaries.

Nevertheless, he reiterated that the APC leadership in the state remains neutral and focused on preserving internal democracy within the party.