The All Progressives Congress (APC), Imo State chapter, has urged members who participated unsuccessfully in its recent National Assembly primary elections to desist from what it described as attempts by “political speculators and racketeers” to exploit their desperation for party tickets through litigation.
The party made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, by its State Publicity Secretary, Onwuasoanya FCC Jones, PhD, amid ongoing post-primary disputes involving some aspirants.
The APC said some individuals were allegedly taking advantage of unsuccessful aspirants by promising to secure the party’s tickets for them through legal actions and other means.
The party therefore advised its members not to allow themselves to be used as “cashcows” by individuals whom it accused of seeking to profit from the post-primary disputes.
The APC also dismissed as fake a document purportedly emanating from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which allegedly listed former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, as the winner of the APC Imo West Senatorial primary election.
According to the party, Governor Hope Uzodimma was the winner of the primary and was duly returned as the party’s candidate.
The party urged Okorocha to withdraw what it described as “unnecessary litigation” over the senatorial ticket and work with Uzodimma and other APC leaders and members toward the party’s electoral success.
The APC further called on security agencies, particularly the Department of State Services (DSS), to investigate the alleged forgery of the purported INEC document and prosecute those found responsible.
On the role of INEC in party primaries, the APC maintained that the electoral commission does not have the constitutional mandate to conduct internal party primaries or declare winners of such elections.
“INEC does not declare winners of party primaries, it only observes,” the party stated, adding that only officials appointed by a political party to conduct its primary election have the authority to announce the results and declare the winner.
The party said the committee led by Rear Admiral Williams Kayode (rtd.) openly announced the result of the Imo West Senatorial primary in the presence of relevant stakeholders, with Uzodimma emerging as the party’s candidate after securing what it described as an overwhelming majority of valid votes.
The APC reaffirmed its commitment to internal democracy and transparency, while urging its members to accept the outcome of the party’s nomination processes and desist from efforts to overturn what it described as the mandate freely given by party members through the courts.
