Apprehension is mounting within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State as the party’s failure to release the list of screened aspirants for the party’s Chairmanship and Councillorship Primaries continues to spark anxiety and uncertainty among contestants.
Despite conducting the screening exercise weeks ago, the party has remained tight-lipped on the names of successful aspirants.
“We were told that primaries would hold this Saturday and we are yet to see the list of candidates who scaled through the screening process.
“Or maybe the screening exercise was a mere formality because I don’t believe that any aspirant, chairmanship or councillorship, would be screened out after paying millions of naira to purchase expression of interest and nomination forms,” said one aggrieved Chairmanship aspirant from Owerri zone.
Another chairmanship aspirant from Okigwe zone described the situation as “ominous and dangerous”, saying it could lead to a repeat of the party’s experience in the House of Assembly primary elections where imposed candidates struggled to win.
“We can’t afford to go through that again.
“The party leadership must come clean and release the list of screened aspirants immediately before the party primary,” he said.
Some aspirants expressed frustration and disappointment over the delay, with primaries to elect candidates for chairmanship and councillorship positions said to be scheduled to hold on Saturday.
“This delay is not only unacceptable but also suspicious,” said another chairmanship aspirant who preferred to remain anonymous.
“We don’t know who has been cleared to contest and who has not.
Aspirants are calling on Governor Hope Uzodinma to intervene and ensure that the party’s selection process is transparent and fair.
However, Sate Chairman of the party, Mac Donald Ebere, has consistently assured aspirants that the party Primary to elect Chairmanship and Councillorship candidates would be transparent and credible
He said the party would never resort to Imposition of candidates.
The APC in Imo State had collected N3 million from chairmanship aspirants and N1 million from councillorship aspirants for nomination and expression of interest forms, a move that was widely criticized as exorbitant.
The party’s primaries were originally scheduled to hold on August 22, 2024. Another report claimed that it has been shifted to Saturday, August 24, adding to the apprehension among aspirants.