Desperation has set in among All Progressives Congress, APC aspirants vying for Chairmanship and Councillorship positions in Imo State, as Governor Hope Uzodimma’s preference for a consensus system becomes apparent.
With the September 21 council election looming, aspirants who had initially banked on direct or indirect primaries are now frantically seeking the endorsement of leaders in their local governments.
Uzodimma’s resort to consensus is seen as a clever ploy to ensure his core allies and loyalists emerge as the 27 LGA Chairmen, while also banking on party leaders in the local governments to get Councillors who are trusted.
Aspirants are now scrambling to win the favour of these leaders, hoping to be selected as the party’s candidates.
A source within the party revealed to INNONEWS that aspirants are changing tactics, shifting their focus from campaigning among party members and delegates to courting the governor and apex leaders in their localities.
With Uzodimma’s preferred consensus system, the governor and party leaders at the local governments will play a significant role in determining who emerges as the party’s candidates.
Aspirants are now desperate to secure the endorsement of these leaders, knowing that it could make or break their chances of securing the party’s ticket.
Governor Uzodimma’s game plan has turned the tables, and aspirants are now forced to play by his rules.
At a meeting with aspirants and stakeholders at the State party headquaters, Uzodimma had announced his preference for consensus and vowed that those who did not get nominated will be refunded their money which they used to purchase Nomination and Expression of Interest forms.
“There are three ways of producing candidates in the Constitution of the APC, one is by direct primaries, second is by indirect primaries, and the third is by consensus,” Uzodimma told party stakeholders, chairmanship and councillorship aspirants at the meeting
He continued “My first option will be consensus. Where it is difficult to arrive at a consensus, we will now do direct or indirect primary”
The APC had collected a hefty fee of N3M and N1m for Chairmanship and Councillorship aspirants respectively.