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A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress in Abia State, Apostle Chuks Alozie, says any move for a consensus Governorship Candidate will weaken internal democracy and send the wrong signal of needless participation to the APC’s grassroots supporters in Abia State.
Apostle Chuks Alozie said this while interacting with Journalists in Abuja, over the alleged move for a consensus Governorship candidate for the party in the state.
Apostle Alozie said the move will sideline the voices of thousands of APC members, whose expectations are to choose their candidates through a ballot, as well as undermine the democratic principles the APC upholds.
“APC’s best chance of victory is to field an acceptable candidate whose emergence is through a transparent competition process reflecting the majority’s will.
“The essence of any political party primaries is to test the popularity of aspirants, their readiness and vision.
“The person is expected to visit the constituencies and wards, earn the trust of the party members, and at the same time sell their manifesto.
“So, if Abia APC fails to abide by these processes in presenting its Governorship candidate and others whom the party must have scrutinised, as an opposition party in the state, I fear we may end up struggling to withstand the rigorous general campaign that is coming up,” he said.
Apostle Alozie, while reacting to the effect of such consensus candidates on APC’s unity in the state, said true unity can be achieved through an open contest, not an imposed agreement, warning that consensus governorship candidates and others in Abia APC will breed factionalism, anti-party activities, and resentment.
“History shows that once there is an imposed candidacy in a political party and members whose preferred candidates were shut out of the race become demoralised, and the next is defection with their large number of supporters, or you see things like factionalism and anti-party activities.
“When a free and fair primary is conducted, everyone gets a sense of belonging, even those who lost at the primaries will accept the outcome and join forces for the victory of the party.
‘In fact, rejecting the so-called consensus candidates in Abia APC will not only showcase the democratic nature of APC, but it will also project the quality of our various flag bearers, including that of the governorship candidate.”
Apostle Alozie, in the interest of democratic integrity, electoral competitiveness and party cohesion, urged the State Working Committee (SWC) in Abia to uphold the sanctity of open primaries and reject the move for a consensus governorship candidate by any individual or group of persons within the party.
