The Rotimi Amaechi camp of the African Democratic Congress in Imo has rejected the presidential primary election that announced Atiku Abubakar’s win, describing the primary as a sham.
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri on Tuesday, the Orlu Zonal Coordinator of the Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi Imo State Campaign Structure and the Convener of the Movement for Amaechi’s Presidency, Chigozie Ifeanyichukwu Alex, said the Amaechi camp rejected the African Democratic Congress presidential primary election in Imo.
He said, “No elections were held in the majority of wards across the state. Registered ADC members who came out to vote were turned away because there were no officials, no materials, and no polling units. Where any activity took place, our accredited agents were not given the locations. They were kept in the dark while a secret process was conducted without their presence.”
“The returning officers for this so-called primary were the party’s LGA chairmen and House of Assembly aspirants — the same individuals who have been compromised by agents of a rival candidate. This is a fundamental violation of electoral integrity.”
“What we witnessed was not a direct primary. It was a secret selection. The party, in connivance with agents of Atiku Abubakar, moved to hidden locations and conducted the entire process without our agents, without our members, and without any regard for the ADC constitution or the Electoral Act.”
“We call on the national leadership of the ADC to cancel the sham primary conducted in Imo State, conduct a fresh, transparent, and inclusive direct primary across all wards, and ensure that our accredited agents are given full access to every polling location. Anything short of this is an assault on democracy and the will of our members.”
This follows the announcement of Atiku Abubakar as the winner of the primaries in Imo.
