APC Leaders, Aspirants Unite in Umuahia, Declare Readiness for 2027 Elections

APC Leaders, Aspirants Unite in Umuahia, Declare Readiness for 2027 Elections

The All Progressives Congress in Abia State has declared its readiness for the 2027 general elections, with party leaders and stakeholders expressing confidence that the party remains united, focused, and positioned to secure victory across all elective offices in the state.

This was the outcome of an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting held at Party Secretariat in Umuahia, where party chieftains, governorship and legislative aspirants, elected officials, and executives gathered to deliberate on strategies for strengthening the party ahead of the polls.

Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and APC leader in Abia State, Rt. Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu, commended party members for their commitment to unity and internal democracy, stressing that the APC was determined to build a formidable grassroots structure capable of delivering electoral victory in 2027.

He reaffirmed the party’s support for the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and urged aspirants to embrace discipline, sportsmanship, and due process during the party primaries.

According to him, no aspirant would be granted automatic tickets, noting that candidates would emerge either through consensus arrangements or direct primaries where consensus fails.

“Test your popularity at the primaries and accept defeat if you lose. I waited for 17 years before I emerged. If it is not your turn, wait for the next season,” Kalu stated.

Also speaking, the Abia APC Chairman, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, described the meeting as evidence of growing unity among party stakeholders across the state.

He noted that the party leadership had successfully conducted nomination form sales and screening exercises, adding that the APC secretariat now operates from a permanent office in Umuahia.

“Today, nobody would have believed that all leaders of APC in Abia State would gather under one roof to move the state forward. We are united for Abia 2027,” he said.

Chukwu appealed to party members and supporters to support efforts aimed at furnishing the permanent secretariat, while assuring that the APC would continue strengthening its structures in preparation for the elections.

Former Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu, also called on party members to remain united and avoid divisive tendencies capable of weakening the APC ahead of the elections.

He said the meeting was in line with President Tinubu’s directive to consolidate unity within the APC nationwide, stressing that transparency and inclusiveness must guide the conduct of the party primaries.

“Party leaders must adopt transparent and inclusive measures in conducting the exercise to avoid post-primary crises arising from competing interests,” he cautioned.

The State Organising Secretary of the party, Barr. Emeka Okoroafor, disclosed that 63 out of 64 House of Assembly aspirants were successfully screened, while one aspirant was disqualified for not being a registered member of the party.

He further revealed that the APC currently has three governorship aspirants, nine senatorial aspirants, and 24 House of Representatives aspirants contesting for eight seats.

According to him, the party would adopt direct primaries, with only financially up-to-date members eligible to participate.

“We are committed to free, fair, and credible elections,” Okoroafor assured.
Governorship aspirants including Hon. Mascot Uzor Kalu, Chief Eric Opah, and Chief Henry Ikoh, in separate remarks, pledged to reposition Abia State through transparency, accountability, infrastructural renewal, economic revitalisation, and the transformation of Aba into a major commercial hub.

Former Senator Nkechi Nwaogu and former Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkeiruka Onyejeocha also urged party members and aspirants to sustain the spirit of unity and sportsmanship before, during, and after the primaries.

The meeting climaxed with the administration of an oath of commitment on aspirants and stakeholders, who collectively pledged to abide by the rules and regulations of the APC ahead of the primaries and the 2027 general elections.