APC Reps aspirants oppose consensus imposition in Adamawa, demand primaries

Members of a forum of House of Representatives aspirants under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Adamawa State have rejected alleged moves by some party leaders to foist consensus candidates on them.

The aspirants insisted that the dropping of names and issuing of threats aimed at compelling them to step down for preferred candidates would not succeed, as they remain committed to their ambitions.

Speaking at a news briefing after a meeting in Yola on Friday afternoon, the aspirants said that anything short of free and fair primary elections would be acceptable.

The APC House of Representatives aspirant for the Demsa-Numan-Lamurde Federal Constituency, Vrati Nzonzo, who read the communiqué of the meeting, warned party leaders at all levels to avoid sharp practices that could jeopardise unity within the party.

Nzonzo, who alleged that some members of the forum had been asked to step down on the basis of so-called orders from above, said the group had chosen to disregard such directives.

“Since consensus has failed across the eight federal constituencies of Adamawa State, the Forum calls on the party to conduct free, fair, and credible primaries across all 226 wards of the state to enable the party to present popular and credible candidates for the 2027 elections that would make the party victorious,” he said.

Warning further against forced consensus, Vrati said from the communiqué: “Also, the Forum is aware of claims by some party executives of the arrival of a ‘Presidential list’ of favoured candidates for the eight constituencies in the state who are either unpopular or not sellable. Such imposition, if true, would undermine the party’s chances of victory.”

APC Reps aspirants oppose consensus imposition in Adamawa, demand primaries