APC leaders reject Okorocha’s mock primary, petition Buhari

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Imo State, under the
aegis of Concerned Imo APC stakeholders, have called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to caution Governor Rochas Okorocha on his
proposed primary to produce the party’s governorship candidate in
the state.

Okorocha had, last week, announced that the APC in the state
would conduct a mock primary to produce the party’s governorship
candidate for the 2019 election.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday in Owerri, the state
capital, the APC leaders described the governor’s proposal as
“alien to the constitution and manifesto of the party.”

Its state Coordinator, Mr. Emeka Nzeribe, accused the governor
of introducing undemocratic methods, which he said were scaring
people away from the party.

Nzeribe said, “The so-called mock primary, as announced by the
Imo State Government, is alien to the constitution and manifesto of
the APC. The state government is not empowered by any section of
the APC constitution or manifesto to schedule modalities for the
conduct of intra-party elections in our party.”

He said only the national working committee of the APC had the
constitutional power to handle such an assignment.

The APC chieftains urged all duly-registered members of the
party, wishing to contest elections, to disregard the governor’s
proposal by making themselves available for elective positions of
their interest.

“The governor has no right to determine who becomes the party’s
candidates at all levels in the state and also has no power to stop
any aspirant from contesting elections.

“The constitution and manifesto of the APC remain supreme.
Members and leaders, no matter how highly placed, must abide by
it,” Nzeribe stressed.

Nzeribe also noted that they had already petitioned the national
leadership of the party on why the excesses of the governor must be
curtailed in order for the APC to retain the state in 2019.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress in Imo State, under the
aegis of Concerned Imo APC stakeholders, have called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to caution Governor Rochas Okorocha on his
proposed primary to produce the party’s governorship candidate in
the state.

Okorocha had, last week, announced that the APC in the state
would conduct a mock primary to produce the party’s governorship
candidate for the 2019 election.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday in Owerri, the state
capital, the APC leaders described the governor’s proposal as
“alien to the constitution and manifesto of the party.”

Its state Coordinator, Mr. Emeka Nzeribe, accused the governor
of introducing undemocratic methods, which he said were scaring
people away from the party.

Nzeribe said, “The so-called mock primary, as announced by the
Imo State Government, is alien to the constitution and manifesto of
the APC. The state government is not empowered by any section of
the APC constitution or manifesto to schedule modalities for the
conduct of intra-party elections in our party.”

He said only the national working committee of the APC had the
constitutional power to handle such an assignment.

The APC chieftains urged all duly-registered members of the
party, wishing to contest elections, to disregard the governor’s
proposal by making themselves available for elective positions of
their interest.

“The governor has no right to determine who becomes the party’s
candidates at all levels in the state and also has no power to stop
any aspirant from contesting elections.

“The constitution and manifesto of the APC remain supreme.
Members and leaders, no matter how highly placed, must abide by
it,” Nzeribe stressed.

Nzeribe also noted that they had already petitioned the national
leadership of the party on why the excesses of the governor must be
curtailed in order for the APC to retain the state in 2019.