Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has ruled out favouritism in the selection of candidates ahead of the All Progressives Congress, APC, primaries in Imo State, insisting that every aspirant seeking elective office on the platform of the party stands an equal chance.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting of the APC at Government House Owerri, Thursday ahead of the primaries, Uzodimma said the party leadership would not impose candidates.
The governor, however, reaffirmed the relevance of the Imo Charter of Equity, stressing that zoning arrangements in various constituencies and zones would be respected during the process of choosing candidates for the party ahead of the 2027 elections. He urged aspirants to honour and respect existing agreements in their areas in order to preserve political balance and fairness.
According to him, while every party member is constitutionally qualified to contest for office, the APC must also protect its internal arrangements and political understandings which, he noted, have helped to sustain stability within the party across the state.
He disclosed that the APC would adopt the Option A4 system for its primaries, saying the method would guarantee transparency, credibility and wider participation of party members in the emergence of candidates for various elective positions. He revealed that no fewer than nine aspirants had purchased forms to contest for the three senatorial seats on the platform of the APC, while 107 others obtained forms to participate in the House of Assembly primaries.
The governor further stated that women and youths would receive priority consideration during the primaries in line with United Nations recommendations advocating broader inclusion in governance and political participation. He, however, clarified that such concessions would not come at the expense of men.aspirants.
Uzodimma also warned aspirants to approach the exercise with maturity and sportsmanship, stressing that the contest would inevitably produce both winners and losers. He likened the primaries to pool betting, saying those venturing into the process must understand from the outset that it is strictly a win-or-lose affair, with no room for bitterness or rebellion after the outcome.
He commended loyal party members who, according to him, remained steadfast with the APC beyond election periods, unlike politicians who only surface during primaries to pursue personal ambitions. The governor maintained that the unity and stability of the party after the primaries remain more important than individual victories, urging both successful and unsuccessful aspirants to accept the outcome in good faith for the collective interest of the APC ahead of the general elections.
