APC group calls for Option A4 in Anambra primaries

A group -the All Progressives Congress (APC) Patriots, has called for the adoption of “Option A4 for the June 26, Anambra governorship primaries of the party.

The group made the call in a statement by its spokesman, Mr Victor Ogene, which was made available to our reporter on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ogene said the group preferred the Option A4 following disputations that had arisen “over the legality and propriety of both the direct and indirect forms of primaries.’’

He said that such disputations arose given the current caretaker status of the party’s executive from the wards to national level.

He also argued that the option A4 was imperative now that the primary election was barely one month away.

“Given the current caretaker status of the party’s executive from the wards, local government, state, zonal and national levels, disputations have arisen over the legality and propriety of both the direct and indirect forms of primaries.

“To further bestow a stamp of acceptability on the process, the party could adopt the Option A4 voting method, which would entail party members queuing openly to vote for an aspirant of their choice.

“For Anambra state, therefore, that would mean 21 voting points, across the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

“Besides the orderly conduct of the primaries, which a recourse to this suggestion would engender; it will also help to eliminate any charge of a compromised outcome.

“For instance, it is easier for aspirants and their agents to monitor the process in the 21 LGAs, than they ordinarily would across the 326 electoral wards in the state.

“Additionally, by decentralising the voting process, our party would be adhering to the COVID-19 protocols, as against having the entire party faithful across the state gather at a particular venue.’’

It was reported that members of the group included Dozie Ikedife, the party’s governorship candidate in 2017, as coordinator, Reps Emeke Nwogbo, Chizor Obidigwe and Afam Ogene.

Others were Chuks Chinwuba and former 2019 National Assembly aspirants, Mike Mbanefo, Ike Chidolue, Chidi Ogbaji; the party’s zonal youth leader, and Olisaemeka Onyeka.