By Michael Agbaji
Tensions are rising within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State ahead of Wednesday’s House of Assembly primaries, as aspirants in Bende North have accused the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, of pressuring them to step down for his preferred candidate.
The aggrieved aspirants alleged that Kalu had endorsed a former commissioner, Orji Udeagha, and initiated moves to compel other contenders to withdraw from the race before the direct primaries.
According to sources within the party, one of the Deputy Speaker’s aides, Daniel Akwari, allegedly contacted several aspirants on Monday, inviting them to a meeting at Murphy Mansion Hotel and Resort in Umuahia, where they would be persuaded to support the anointed candidate.
The development has sparked outrage among affected aspirants, who described the alleged move as undemocratic and contrary to the party’s stated commitment to internal democracy.
They argued that the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the APC leadership was for all aspirants to freely test their popularity through open contests.
Under the APC’s adopted mode, the primaries are to be conducted via direct voting, where registered party members queue behind their preferred candidates.
One of the aspirants, speaking anonymously, warned that any attempt to impose candidates could undermine the party’s chances in Abia State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“This move will create disenfranchisement, friction, and acrimony within the party. It also risks portraying the President in a bad light, as the current developments run contrary to the directive for free and fair participation,” the aspirant said.
Sources further claimed that text messages had already been circulated to some contenders, urging them to withdraw from the race.
The Abia APC State Chairman, Chijoke Chukwu, was also accused of complicity, with critics alleging that he had aligned with the Deputy Speaker’s interests at the expense of party unity.
The aggrieved aspirants have now appealed to President Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, to intervene and halt what they described as an attempt to hijack the primaries.
“We are sending this as an SOS to the President and our party chairman to prevail on the Deputy Speaker and his allies not to derail the democratic process in Abia APC,” one source said.
“It is unbecoming, and we shall resist it. Let everyone contest,” the source added.
The controversy comes amid broader disputes surrounding APC primaries nationwide. The House of Representatives primaries held over the weekend across 360 federal constituencies were reportedly marred by disagreements over consensus arrangements and allegations of imposition by influential figures.
READ ALSO: Air Strikes Kill Over 20 ISIS Fighters in North-East Nigeria – DHQ Confirms
APC Disqualifies 47 Senatorial Aspirants Ahead of 2027 Primaries
In Abia State, Benjamin Kalu himself emerged unopposed in the House of Representatives primary, a development that had already generated mixed reactions among party stakeholders.
Earlier, the primaries had been postponed from Friday to Saturday following complaints by aspirants over alleged attempts by powerful interests to influence outcomes.
About The Author
