By Alex Odeh
All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship aspirants in the last conducted 2024 local government areas election has commended Governor Francis Nwifuru on how he handled the emergence of the APC aspirants for the 13 LGAs ahead of the August 2026 council polls in Ebonyi State.
Speaking with a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Ezza North Local Government Area, Nwankpuma Theophilus, also advised the governor as a father and leader of the party to address aggrieved members of the party who purchased nomination forms in 2024, but were deprived of standing primaries.
He said ahead of preparations for the conduct of local government areas elections in Ebonyi State, it is important to draw the attention of the feelings of aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who were paid heavily to purchase nomination forms in the last local government elections of 2024
Addressing journalists in Abakaliki, Hon. Nwankpuma Theophilus recalled the disturbing situation where the Ebonyi State APC Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha allowed aspirants for chairmen of local government elections in the 2024 grassroots election to purchase forms without allowing them to test their popularity.
Hon. Nwankpuma Theophilus, however, commended the APC Chairman, Stanley Okoro Emegha, for learning from his past errors and retracing his steps, but regretted the damage his earlier mistakes has caused the party.
He condemned the mass production of expression of interest and nomination forms, without giving aspirants level playing ground to test their popularity, and recalled with nostalgia how party stalwarts spent huge amount of money running into millions of naira without availing them the opportunity to participate in party primaries.
“It is a worrying trend where the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State during the 2024 local government elections deceived aspirants to spend money running into huge millions of naira to purchase expression and nomination forms without giving them the level playing ground to test their popularity.
“It is very clear that that the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in the State, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha must have seen the negative implications on the image of the party of repeating the ugly trend that transpired in the 2024 local government election where aspirants were misled to purchase nomination and expression of interest forms without allowing them to go to the field”, he stressed.
Nwankpuma Theophilus advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State to wear human face , especially under the current leadership, noting that hitherto those aggrieved members have not been addressed in a formal gathering to pacify their anger.
