The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State has said that the allegation from one of its governorship aspirants, Mascot Uzor-Kalu, is baseless and not unusual.
Uzor-Kalu had alleged that the State Executive, LGA chairmen, and selected stakeholders were mobilised under the guise of a meeting for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign but were allegedly brought together to foist a preferred candidate on the party.
The party firmly denied any plan to impose a governorship candidate through a stakeholders’ meeting that took place yesterday, April 12, 2026, in Umuahia, with the Abia APC Publicity Secretary, Chief Uche Aguoru, describing the claims of a premeditated endorsement as baseless and existing only in the imagination of those raising such concerns.
In a statement on Sunday, Aguoru insisted that the State Executive Committee, led by Mr Chijioke Chukwu, remains committed to providing a level playing field for all aspirants contesting the 2027 governorship ticket.
“The alleged endorsement exists only in the imagination of those raising such concerns,” Aguoru said.
He clarified that neither the State Working Committee (SWC) nor the enlarged State Executive Committee has endorsed any aspirant at any level.
“We will ensure that the primary election is conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner,” he added.
Aguoru noted that it is not unusual for politicians to raise such concerns as part of the political process, often seeking reassurance about fairness.
“However, for us in the SWC, our position is clear: we have no preferred aspirant, we are not endorsing anyone, and we are fully dedicated to ensuring equal opportunity for all.”
Recall that Uzor-Kalu claimed that credible information available to him before Sunday indicated that the Umuahia gathering was nothing more than a premeditated plan to foist an aspirant on the party through an endorsement charade.
He went on to say, “Let it be stated clearly and without ambiguity: any premeditated consensus arrangement orchestrated by the APC State Working Committee (SWC) and stakeholders, without the participation of all aspirants contesting for the same position, is illegitimate, unacceptable, and null and void ab initio. Such an imposition will be met with stiff and unequivocal resistance.
“The APC in Abia must not be reduced to a tool for personal ambition or manipulated to serve narrow interests. Party executives were elected to uphold fairness, internal democracy, and due process, not to act as agents of endorsement for any individual.
“I therefore caution the Abia APC SWC to desist from actions that could undermine party unity and credibility. The era of coercion, backdoor arrangements, and political puppetry is over. As elected custodians of the party structure, members of the SWC must remain neutral and refrain from dancing to the tune of any aspirant.
“I stand firm with all Abians; no amount of intimidation will make me step down. Every Abian has the constitutional right to run for any political office they deem fit. We shall not be cajoled into believing that one individual, who is not prepared to run for office, is now the anointed candidate.”
He went further to warn the APC to desist from attending any pro-group meetings, especially those convened by aspirants, stressing that the integrity of the party is non-negotiable, and any attempt to subvert it will be strongly challenged.
