Ruth NWORIE
A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC, in Cross River State, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has urged APC governors to adhere strictly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive on transparent primaries.
He said he was in agreement with Tinubu, that imposition of candidates in the forthcoming 2027 general elections could spell doom for the party.
Obono-Obla who is also a former presidential adviser and lawyer, insisted that only transparent primaries would preserve the unity and cohesion in the APC.
Tinubu had, on Thursday, directed all the governors to ensure free, fair and rancour-free primaries across.
The president had also charged the governors to comply strictly with theElectorial Act as they prepare for the primaries.
The APC chieftain restated the need to demonstrate a high level of responsibility, fairness, transparency and honesty in conducting the primaries.
His words: “It is hoped that the governors will handle this baton with the highest sense of responsibility, fairness, transparency, and honesty, thereby safeguarding the cohesion of the party.
“Governors must resist the temptation to pull out names of ‘anointed aspirants’ from their pockets and impose them on the party, as witnessed during the ward, local government, and state congresses.
“The interests of all blocs, tendencies, and wings of the party must be protected and enhanced, especially those of the legacy parties that coalesced into the APC in 2013. Only through inclusiveness and fairness can the party remain united and strong.”
Obono-Obla emphasized that the future of the APC depended on the integrity of its internal democratic processes, revealing that by upholding fairness and transparency, the governors will not only strengthen the party but also reinforce the trust of its members and the Nigerian people.
