2027: APC defends primaries, says ‘no party can match our transparency’

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has defended the conduct of its primary elections, insisting that no political party in Nigeria can match its level of organisation, openness and internal democratic process.

APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, made the claim during an interview on Arise News, despite growing complaints from some aspirants and stakeholders over the conduct of the party’s primaries.

The ruling party’s primaries have triggered controversy in several states, with allegations of candidate imposition, exclusion of stakeholders, electoral manipulation, violence and dissatisfaction over the use of consensus arrangements.

Some aggrieved aspirants have also accused the party of shutting out popular candidates under the guise of consensus, describing the process as unfair and lacking transparency.

But Basiru dismissed suggestions that the APC primaries had fallen below democratic standards.

According to him, reports received from the House of Representatives and Senate primary exercises showed that the party performed creditably.

“Based on the reports received from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, I would assess our party very favourably in terms of organisation and the overall results of the exercise,” Basiru said.

He maintained that the APC had followed the provisions of the Electoral Act by adopting direct primaries, adding that the process reflected the party’s commitment to transparency and internal democracy.

“The APC has implemented the direct primary option as stipulated in the Electoral Act, and this process has showcased the party’s dedication to transparency and internal democracy,” he added.

Basiru further argued that by the end of the exercise, it would be difficult to find any political party in the country that had demonstrated the same level of coordination and participation as the APC.

“I can assert with confidence that by May 29 or 30, it will be rare to find any other political party exhibiting this degree of coordination, openness, and participation as the APC has done,” he said.

His comments come at a time when the ruling party is battling internal complaints from aspirants who lost out in the primaries.

In many cases, dissatisfied members have rejected the outcome of the exercises, claiming that the process was compromised before voting even began.

However, the APC leadership has insisted that the party provided a fair platform for all aspirants and that those who feel cheated should make use of the internal appeal mechanism.

Also speaking on Arise News, APC Deputy National Chairman, South, Dr Ben Nwoye, urged aggrieved aspirants to either accept the outcome of the primaries or formally challenge the results through the party’s appeal process.

“The reality is that the primaries have largely concluded, with winners declared, while those who are dissatisfied can either accept the results at the declaration stage or file an appeal, as the process does not conclude with the primaries,” Nwoye said.

He explained that aspirants who are unhappy with the results can submit petitions before appeal committees, adding that such matters may still be escalated to the National Working Committee where necessary.

“Dissatisfied aspirants can submit petitions to appeal committees for review, and if necessary, escalate further to the National Working Committee,” he stated.

Nwoye also described the exercise as satisfactory, saying the primaries showed strong grassroots participation among APC members across the country.

“So far, the process has been satisfactory, with democracy being actively witnessed across the country and strong grassroots participation from APC supporters,” he added.

The APC leadership’s defence is expected to draw mixed reactions from aggrieved members, particularly in states where aspirants have already alleged manipulation and exclusion.