The Imperative of Transparent APC Party Primaries in Abia State if the Party Must Win the 2027 Gubernatorial Election

By Dike Isuochi

Party primary elections over the years have remained the beacon of internal democracy, fostering cohesion among different party structures and building the team spirit necessary for the electability of a party candidate who emerges victorious through a transparent process. Such a candidate is better positioned to face opponents from other political parties in the main election.

A transparent party primary for the selection of the APC gubernatorial candidate—where all party members are given the opportunity to vote openly and decide who emerges as the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 election in Abia State—will no doubt save the party from its past mistakes. These mistakes have hindered the party from winning the governorship seat, especially during the era of High Chief Ikechi Emenike, when improper primaries, fragmentation of party structures, avoidable crises, and even court cases robbed the APC of the unity and cohesion needed to secure victory.

This has been the party’s experience in Abia since 2007 to date.
As the saying goes, “once beaten, twice shy.” APC in Abia State should learn from its past mistakes and pitfalls by allowing its candidates and flag bearers to emerge through a transparent voting process in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act. This approach will deepen internal democracy, strengthen trust, promote unity, and galvanize collective energy and support behind whichever candidate emerges, thereby improving the party’s chances of winning the 2027 election.

The party must avoid taking members’ rights to freely choose their preferred gubernatorial candidate for granted. The undemocratic practice of imposition or adopting a rented consensus or endorsement of any candidate without open primaries has often left interest groups within the party feeling sidelined and shortchanged, particularly when they believe their preferred candidate could have won in a fair contest.

The bad blood that usually follows such undemocratic processes in the emergence of party flag bearers—especially gubernatorial candidates—has consistently contributed to APC’s failure in the main elections in Abia State. This is a pattern the party must avoid if it hopes to forge a united front and secure victory in 2027.

Dike Isuochi writes from Umunneochi LGA, Abia State.