A former aide to ex-president, Muhammadu Buhari, Okoi Obono-Obla, on Monday, accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of manipulating the 2023 national and state assembly primary elections to benefit defectors from other political parties.
Obono-Obla, in a statement where he called for midterm elections to reform the leadership of the APC in Cross River State, claimed that only the governorship primary election was conducted fairly, with the winner emerging through a consensus.
He alleged, “All tickets for elective positions such as national and state assemblies (except the governorship ticket) were manipulated and handed over to defectors.”
He urged the party to conduct midterm congresses at the state, local government and ward levels to address the alleged imbalances, claiming deep divisions within the party’s ranks due to perceived injustices that followed the 2021 defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Obono-Obla also criticized the current APC leadership in Cross River State for running an exclusive and undemocratic administration.
He argued that the party’s executive committees at all levels are dominated by defectors from the PDP, and called for a more inclusive leadership.
The APC State Chairman, Barrister Alphonsus Ogar Eba, in response to the allegations, dismissed Obono-Obla’s allegations, accusing him of attempting to divide the party.
Eba said Obono-Obla’s frustration stemmed from the failure of his efforts to secure federal and state appointments for himself and his nominees.