APC aspirant rejects Abia Reps primary result, claims victory

The primary elections for the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives tickets in Abia State have run into a storm. Following the official declaration of results by the party's electoral committee, a prominent aggrieved aspirant has openly rejected the outcome, claiming they were the rightful winner of the ballot.

The brewing crisis highlights the deep-seated factional tensions within the Abia State APC chapter as the party gears up for the 2027 general elections.

The Chairman of the Abia State National Assembly Primaries Committee, Erasmus Cishak, officially announced the results at the party secretariat in Umuahia. The committee declared the exercise a major success, calling it "transparent, credible, and fair," and affirmed that high-profile heavyweights had clinched their return tickets. Notable winners included:

Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu: The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, who secured his ticket for the Bende Federal Constituency.

Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha: The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, who successfully locked down her constituency's ticket.

However, behind the scenes of these high-profile victories, the process in other federal constituencies has sparked immediate pushback.

The Aspirant's Grievances: "I Won the Real Election"
The protesting aspirant has vehemently disputed the figures released by the Cishak-led committee, raising serious allegations regarding how the direct primary election was managed:

Claims of Direct Mandate: The aspirant insists that data collected by their agents from the various wards shows they secured the highest number of valid votes cast by party members.

Allegations of Compromised Materials: Rumors and formal complaints had surfaced right before and during the voting regarding the diversion or compromise of official primary election materials. The aggrieved camp claims these materials were manipulated to favor a predetermined alternative candidate.

Call for NWC Intervention: Rejecting the state-level declaration, the aspirant has petitioned the APC National Working Committee (NWC) and the Primaries Appeal Committee, demanding a full forensic review of the ward-level result sheets or a total cancellation and rerun in the affected constituency.

The Party’s Stand: "The Process Was Solid"
In a swift bid to manage the fallout and maintain a unified front, the APC leadership in Abia has dismissed the claims of irregularities.

The party structure maintains that no materials were compromised and that all aspirants were given a level playing field. They have urged any dissatisfied contestants to utilize the internal party arbitration mechanisms rather than escalating the matter publicly, warning that internal friction could weaken the party's chances of unseating the ruling party in Abia State come 2027.

With the National Assembly Primaries Appeal Committees now set to review petitions nationwide, all eyes are on Abuja to see if the party leadership will uphold the declared results or bow to the pressure of the aggrieved Abia aspirants.