Prof Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State and national leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has read the riot act to the party’s leaders and members, outlining parameters for the party’s upcoming primary elections.
Soludo, speaking to APGA supporters at the party’s South-East zonal convention on Saturday at the International Convention Centre in Awka, disclosed that the party would use option A4 in its 2027 election primary.
Soludo stated that the arrangement will eliminate rigging and increase transparency in the party while reducing waste of scarce resources through vote buying.
Soludo stated: “I understand that most of you may be dissatisfied with our new strategy since you view politics and party membership as business. Most of you may even ask, “Why does this man want to ruin our show during this political season?”
“What we are doing is to reduce waste while simultaneously ensuring the health and legitimacy of our party.
Let me tell you, there are people here who may have saved some money to buy shuttle buses; perhaps the money is not yet complete, and they are waiting for this political season to be over before purchasing them.
“However, we don’t want this era to be business as usual. Our aspirants who you want to make money from should be allowed to save their resources so that they can battle their opponents in other parties in the general election rather than squandering them during the primary election.
“We plan to use option A4 in all of our primary elections this season.
The key point is that when you look back and see that you are winning, you will know it. When you notice a lengthy queue of people behind you, you know you’ve won.
“It is not the one in which you will pay people to say they are for you, only to have them vote against you because it is a secret ballot.” We want to stop all of that. There are plenty other things we want to do to ensure that this party continues.”
The governor further stated that the party will no longer tolerate aspirants vying for multiple positions.
“If you want to run for governor, make up your mind. We will not tolerate persons occupying one seat while contending for another.
“We’d want to ask you all, if you’re a member of this party, to decide which position you wish to pursue. For example, if you want to be governor, start today.
I will be leaving office in three years and a few months; you may begin preparing now; I will not be running for a senatorial seat; and when it comes time for the governorship race, you will run again.
“Let me tell you how this device works. When someone is interested in becoming governor and aspires to the Senate, he is more likely to neglect his Senate obligations. His only objective is to make money so that he may run for Governor.
“That is something we would like to stop. We want all party members to consider the various positions they want to run for and apply for them.”
Soludo further stated that applicants will no longer be permitted to pay bribes to members of the state executive at their houses. All meetings would be place at the party headquarters, he stated.
Earlier, the party’s National Chairman, Barr Sly Ezeokenwa, read out a long list of code of behaviour for members, which coincided with the governor’s remarks. He asserted that his leadership was determined to clean up the party.