Some concerned stakeholders in the Imo State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC have kicked against the planned mock primaries in the party.
It would be recalled that Governor Rochas Okorocha had announced that Mock Primaries will be held to select those that will fly the party’s flag for various elective positions.
But in a swift reaction, some concerned party members are not comfortable with the arrangement.
In a statement signed by Agunwa Nzeribe for the stakeholders, they said the exercise is not in tandem with laid down rules in the APC Constitution.
It said there is no section of the APC Constitution that support or make provisions for mock primaries.
It stated that “There’s no section of APC Constitution that supports or made provision for Mock Primaries. In the Nigeria Electoral Act that was passed by National Assembly for purposes of elections and electioneering campaigns, there is no section of it that supports the purported Mock Primaries which Gov. Okorocha wants to embark upon”
“ Imo State is an integral part of Nigeria, and as such should not be seen as acting against the provisions of Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, or Constitution of APC as the case may be”
“ We, the Concerned Imo APC Stakeholders frowns at such undemocratic conception, and wish to use this medium to call on all APC faithful Imo State Chapter to disregard this plan by the governor of the state or his proxies as such action(s) runs ultra vires to relevant laws of the land
They stated that it is “disheartening to note that a governor that swore to defend the Constitution of Nigeria, and by extension, the Constitution of the political party that sponsored him is the same person planning for its murder”
They further said that the planned mock primaries is just another gimmick to legalise illegality in the state and a desperate bid to foist an unpopular candidate on the party and people of the State”
Part of the statement reads “However, we enjoin all our members drawn from 305 Political Wards and 27 Local Government Areas of the State to disassociate themselves with this anti peoples act. All elected officers of our great party APC should not allow a self seeking individual derail our collective interest which is geared towards taking Imo back to the People. Our prime concern towards 2019 general elections is to ensure that our forthcoming congresses and convention are transparent, free and fair as panacea to healthy intra party relationship”
“We shall resist any attempt to ridicule the party in the state no matter how highly placed such perpetrators may be, and if the present government in the state deems it fit to embark on such wild goose chase, they should for record purposes do it within themselves, or better still, call it Mock Primaries of Rescue Mission aspirants in the state, which includes gubernatorial aspirants like, Prince Eze Madumere, Sir Jude Ejiogu, Hon. Uche Nwosu, Rt. Hon. AchoIhim and Hon. Chike Okafor”
“Though, we are not supportive of any of the aforementioned aspirants, but incessant humiliation and ill treatment meted on the Deputy Governor of the State Prince Eze Madumere by his boss is nothing to write home about which must be condemned by well meaning Imolites. Its inhuman to pay a man who all these years remained loyal and steadfast in the course of his service. Since the launch of muffler with inscription *’Rochas We Know 2015’*, Prince Eze Madumere has never appeared publicly without wearing it. How else do one show unalloyed loyalty?
“Furthermore, we wish to remind the present state government that party activities and government functions are not one and the same. Government has its duties as enshrined in the Constitution of Nigeria, and APC as a political party also has its own duties” the statement stated.
They called on the National Working Committee of the APC to call Governor Okorocha to order.
” We shall not accept democratic tendencies that are capable of disrupting existing peace and harmony in Imo APC.. We equally call on our party members not to participate in any purported Mock Primaries been planned by Imo State Government as only the National Working Committee of APC has authorities to schedule for intra primary elections inline with Nigeria Electoral Act” the statement concluded