Spokesperson for the Imo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Jones Onwuasoanya has assured that the ongoing Primaries for the selection of House of Representatives candidates will be credible.
This is even as the party has announced the deployment of over 1000 party officials to the 305 electoral wards of Imo State.
Onwuasoanya told Leadership weekend that the Primaries were ongoing across the State.
He said ” the primary election for the election of ten standard bearers of our great Party is underway across the 305 political ward collation centers in the State”.
He said the procedure will be credible saying “the Party assures all aspirants and stakeholders that the votes of all Party members shall count. Stakeholders, aspirants and Party members are advised to comport themselves with the decorum and discipline with which our Party is known and to cooperate with electoral officials to ensure the smooth execution of this vital internal democratic procedure”.
According to him, over 1000 party officials have been deployed across the State for the exercise to ensure smooth Primaries.
Onwuasoanya said “To ensure a hitch-free, credible and transparent primary election across these Constituencies, the Party has deployed over 1000 electoral officials from within its ranks to conduct the elections under the supervision of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Adequate security measures have also been put in place to ensure the safety of all Party members and officials who are involved in the primary election process”.
Further, he disclosed that the members of the House of Representatives Primary Election Committee led by Rear Admiral Williams Kayode(Rtd) as Chairman and Hon. Lucky Ajokperiniovo as Secretary and the House of Representatives Election Appeal Committee led by Engr. Tuoyo Omatsuli as Chairman and Godwin Anaughe as Secretary were already on ground and supervising proceedings with the full coordination of the State Working Committee of the Party led by Chief Austin Onyedebelu, the State chairman.
Onwuasoanya explained that the Primaries was in line with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended) the Electoral Act 2026(as amended), and the Guidelines of the 2026 Primaries of the All Progressives Congress, the Party in Imo, which he said was agreed to be direct Primaries for the election of APC standard bearers.
Meanwhile, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has called on aspirants not to commit their entire resources into the exercise to avoid health problems if they lost.
Uzodimma during a party stakeholders and aspirants meeting at the Government House Owerri on Thursday advised against the do or die approach associated with party Primaries.
Uzodimma said he “strongly admonished against the “do or die” approach to the primaries, emphasising that the process must remain peaceful, transparent, and driven by the overall interest of the Party.
“I reminded all aspirants that, inevitably, only one candidate will emerge for each available position, and as loyal Party members, we must unite behind whoever emerges victorious.
“I further reiterated that zoning remains a vital practice adopted to ensure fairness, inclusiveness, and true democratic representation.
“It is, therefore, in the best interest of all stakeholders that we respect and abide by the zoning arrangement in our various constituencies, as it gives every group a sense of belonging and strengthens unity within the Party.
“Consequently, I advised aspirants whose ambitions run contrary to the established zoning framework to respect the arrangement in the collective interest of peace, equity, and Party cohesion”, the Governor said.
The Imo APC Primaries is considered tough following the insistence by former Governor, Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume that consensus will not work.
A source who pleaded anonymity said it was due to the insistence of the two politicians that consensus failed in Imo State.
