The All Progressives Congress (APC) has has debunked an advertisement of the party adopting the direct mode of primaries for election of it’s flag bearers for the Anambra State governorship election slated for November 8.
This is as the party insisted on the indirect mode of primary election.
The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) took the decision during a meeting at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the National Secretary of the APC, Bashiru Ajibola, debunked the earlier claim in an advertisement that the party would adopt the direct mode of election.
According to him, no such decision was ever taken by the party.
He said, “Our (NWC) meeting considered the processes in the ongoing Anambra governorship election, which is scheduled to be held by November 8, 2025.
“The National Working Committee of the party took cognizance of the fact that advertisement had been made. And it seems the advertisement was seemingly projecting that the NWC had adopted a direct mode of primary. But in actual fact, no positive resolution of the NWC had been taken before today (Thursday) as to the mode of primary.
“At the NWC today, it was put into consideration, now formally decided that the mode of emergence of the candidate for that election will be through indirect primary,” he said.
Mr Ajibola said a meeting of the NWC and the State Working Committee, state caucus and the governorship aspirant has been slated to discuss the preparations for the shadow election on Tuesday next week.
“In order to carry along all stakeholders, a stakeholders’ meeting with the State Working Committee (SWC), state caucus and the aspirants will hold at the national headquarters of the party by 1: pm on Tuesday next week to carry them along.
“And correspondence to this effect will be made to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“There will be supplementary advertisement and public sensitization as to the mode of primary and the new timetable adjusted in line with that decision,” the secretary stated.
According to him, no fewer than seven party members have shown interest in the governorship race. They are Chukuma Umeoji, Obiora Okonwko, Nicholas Ukachukwu, Paul Chukwuma, Obinna Onunkwo, Valentine Ozigbo and Edozie Madu.
Meanwhile, APC has also reviewed its timeline of activities in accordance with INEC’s schedule of activities.
According to the party, primaries will be held on Saturday, April 5, according to its schedule of activities.
The party’s schedule of activities showed that it sold the nomination and expression of interest forms between Monday, 10 February, and Tuesday, 25 February.
The party noted that it would begin screening aspirants on Friday, 7, and Saturday, March 8.
Also, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party primaries will begin on March 20.
This was disclosed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Committee, Sam Olumekun, on Thursday.
He noted that INEC had fixed Saturday, November 8, for the governorship elections.
“The political party primaries will be held between March 20 and April 10.
“The candidate nomination portal will open at 9 a.m. on April 18, 2025, and close at 6 p.m. on May 12, 2025.
“The final list of candidates will be published on June 9, 2025. While campaign in public by political parties will commence on June 11, 2025 and end at midnight of Thursday, November 6, 2025.
“Voting will take place in all the 5,720 polling units across the State on Saturday, November 8, 2025,” Olumekun said.