By Okoi Obono-Obla
A Call for Justice in APC Primaries:
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has set the ball rolling by being the first political party in the country to announce the holding of primary elections to nominate candidates who will fly its flag in the 2027 general elections.
In 2022, I was compelled to sell a house I built in Calabar, Cross River State, to afford the ₦22 million aspirants for senatorial tickets were asked to pay in order to be eligible for the primary election. Sadly, the election was rigged by the party leadership in Cross River State in favor of its preferred aspirants. Delegates were carefully selected to support those favored aspirants, while others of us never had the opportunity to secure delegates.
On the day of the primary election in Ikom, Cross River State, the favored aspirants were given large sums of money from the state treasury, which they used to pay delegates. Delegates received between ₦200,000 and ₦300,000 each. Today, some of these delegates are bitterly complaining about poor representation. Truly, you cannot eat your cake and still expect the cake to remain.
As we approach the primary elections in Cross River State, I urge the party to be fair and just to every aspirant. Names should not be dictated from the pockets of party leaders. You cannot expect someone to cough up ₦20 million, ₦50 million, ₦5 million, or ₦10 million respectively, only to have the election rigged against them.
The party must be just and fair to all aspirants, allowing members to choose those they trust will represent them well, whether in Calabar or Abuja. Let the party behave like the “City of Justice” St. Augustine spoke of in his treatise.
Conclusion:
For APC to retain credibility and earn the trust of its members, fairness and transparency must guide the primaries. Justice in the process will not only strengthen the party but also ensure that true representatives of the people emerge.
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