An Abia State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Mascot Uzor-Kalu, has rejected an alleged attempt to impose a candidate on the party through a planned endorsement meeting in Umuahia.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Kalu alleged that members of the APC State Executive, LGA chairmen, and selected stakeholders were mobilised under the guise of a meeting for the re-election campaign of President Bola Tinubu, but insisted that the gathering may be aimed at endorsing a preferred aspirant.
He warned that any consensus arrangement carried out without the involvement of all aspirants would be “null and void” and unacceptable.
The statement read, “My attention has been drawn to a so-called stakeholders’ meeting being convened in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, today, April 12, 2026, where members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Executive, LGA chairmen, and other handpicked party stakeholders have been reportedly instructed to mobilise 20 persons per ward under the belief that the meeting is about the presidential campaign for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Credible information available to me indicates that this gathering is nothing more than a premeditated plan to foist an aspirant on the party through an endorsement charade.
“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 must not be reduced to a tool for personal ambition. Party executives were elected to uphold fairness and internal democracy, not to impose candidates,” Kalu stated.
He continued, “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.
“The APC SWC is hereby warned to desist from attending any pro-group meetings, especially those convened by aspirants. The integrity of our party is non-negotiable, and any attempt to subvert it will be strongly challenged.”
When contacted, the Abia APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Uche Aguoru, dismissed the alleged plans by the State Working Committee.
He insisted that the State Executive Committee, led by Mr Chijioke Chukwu, remains firmly committed to providing a level playing field for all aspirants.
He said, “The alleged endorsement exists only in the imagination of those raising such concerns.
“Neither the State Working Committee (SWC) nor the enlarged EXCO has endorsed any aspirant at any level. We will ensure that the primary election is conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
“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.”
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