Ahead of the forthcoming party primaries, two powerful aspirants for senatorial and governorship tickets in the All Progressives Congress (APC) Cross River State, have raised the alarm over the processes of selecting the party’s flagbearers.
They claimed that if a level-playing ground was not established for all the contestants, the party would face series of problems.
Speaking separately, former special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on prosecution, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla and Senator John Owan-Enoh, who represented Cross River Central Senatorial District in the Senate, stressed that every attempt to cause internal fight in the party should be completely avoided.
Obono-Obla said, “Not giving a level-playing ground to foundation and new members to compete fairly for the nomination of candidates would amount to an insult and travesty of justice, especially for those who fought for the sustenance of opposition politics and democracy between 1999 to 2015.
“As we march towards the primaries to nominate candidates, every aspirant must be allowed to compete fairly in conformity with democratic best practices.”
Addressing journalists in Calabar, Owan-Enoh reiterated the statement he made at the APC headquarters in the State.
“Our party must, at all costs, avoid pitfalls that could resurrect internal bickering, fight and factions.
“Our party must look at persons with quality, capacity, experience, competitiveness, exposure that can match the PDP,” he stated.
He stated that the governorship election next year would be highly competitive.
“APC must, therefore, be both strategic and practical in making a good and better choice.
“The choice of our party’s flagbearer will not only determine whether we retain power, but more importantly, it will determine the fate of our State,” he added.