Before the All Progressives Congress (APC) State House of Assembly primaries in Akwa Ibom State, political leaders in the Ikot Ekpene state constituency said they would not accept any kind of consensus candidacy or automatic ticket for an unpopular candidate for the Ikot-Ekpene/Obot Akara State constituency seat.
They said that this kind of move was not only undemocratic, but it would also make the party more likely to lose the general elections if they picked a candidate who was not popular.
It could be remembered that the governor, Pastor Umo Eno, had asked party members in different places to choose any person they wanted to wave the party’s flag at the primaries in a peaceful and unanimous way.
After a strategic stakeholders meeting of the APC on Wednesday, they held a press conference on Thursday. They said that direct primaries are the only fair, transparent, and democratic way to show what the people want, since delegates and party members would be able to freely exercise their democratic rights without fear of intimidation, inducement, or imposition.
Umoh Amadu, a former APC Assistant Secretary, spoke on behalf of the stakeholders and said that it was wrong for a few people to try to force a candidate on the party who they say does not have real support from the grassroots. He said that this kind of action “is antithetical and unwelcome.”
Amadu said that their opposition to consensus candidacy was not meant to attack or support anyone, but to protect the interests of the two local governments and let the most qualified son or daughter of the area come out on top through direct primary.
Senator Godswill Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno promised to support President Bola Tinubu’s reelection based on their work. However, Amadu said that the people of Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara were not ready to re-elect any representative who had done a terrible job.
He said, “APC Stakeholders in Ikot Ekpene strongly oppose the undemocratic agenda of consensus candidacy/automatic ticket for anyone who wants to run for the Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State Constituency seat in the upcoming All Progressives Congress (APC) State House of Assembly primaries.”
“Any process, like consensus, that gives a few people the power to go against the wishes of the majority and force candidates on people who don’t really support them at the grassroots level is against the spirit of democracy and a violation of the APC constitution and the Electoral Act 2026’s rules of fair play.
“We beg our leaders not to put the whole community at risk for their own gain. They should let the popular candidate win our primary so that we can win our State constituency and our Governor in the general election.
“This press conference isn’t meant to attack anyone or help any one candidate; it’s meant to help the Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara State constituency so that we can all enjoy the full benefits of democracy.
“We fully support our party, the APC, but we must say that our party can only be united and moving forward if justice, fairness, and respect for the democratic rights of all members are given the attention they deserve.”
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