Confusion Embroils APC Governorship Primaries in Anambra as Three Aspirants Withdraw

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State is currently under cloud due to a chain of disputed events in its governorship primaries. The three top- aspirants withdrew amidst the controversy, and the taints of corruption and manipulation around the primary election exercise.

The APC Anambra governorship primaries have been marred by serious allegations. One of the aspirants has been accused of attempting to bribe the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) members with a staggering $3 million in order to get imposition of indirect primaries that will be in his favor. The move sparked an indignation among other aspirants and party stakeholders, who have since called for an investigation into the claims and disqualification of the accused candidate.

In response to the allegations, the party’s central process was further questioned. Eleven other aspirants, who were dissatisfied with the handling of the primaries, demanded that the election be canceled. They claimed several irregularities, including the late release of voting materials, as well as claims of vote tampering and hijacking of the process by influential personalities in the party.

The eleven aspirants’ demonstration is centered around the transparency of the process. They argue that the abnormalities of the primaries—the delayed delivery of materials—sullied the credibility of the election.

They have all pleaded with the APC leadership to ensure a transparent and fair process, arguing that the only way they could regain the credibility of the primaries would be through a direct primary system, as opposed to the disputed indirect system.

The controversy of APC’s Anambra primaries has spread to other political undertakings, including the September 28, 2024, local government elections. The party dropped out of the local polls on grounds of concerns about irregularities and violations of due process.

The APC leadership denounced the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and Governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo of not preparing sufficiently for the polls.

The leadership of the APC stated that to contest in the election under the circumstances would in essence be equated to approving a flawed and illegal process. The action has also raised suspicions about the state’s electoral integrity as well as the trust of the APC in the conduct of elections in the state.

The crisis that evolved in the APC in Anambra is an indication of wider divisions in the party. The combination of allegations of bribery, irregularities during primaries, and pulling out of elections to the local government councils has put the political destiny of the party within the state into limbo.

The majority of individuals are concerned about the implications of these intra-party conflicts for the ability of the party to offer a coherent platform in forthcoming elections.

Overall, the APC in Anambra stands at the crossroads, and the accusation of corruption and poor governance casts doubts on the readiness of the party for the next elections. The calls for transparency and fairness in the manner in which it is conducting its primary elections signify the growing unrest among key members of the party, and leaving the political situation in Anambra in the air.