Imo APC ready for primaries, tackles PDP

The state Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Imo state chapter, Comrade Cajetan Duke, has the party’s readiness to conduct hitch- free primaries that would midwife acceptable and credible flagbearers in all political positions and later square up with other candidates to sweep the forth coming elections.

He told Blueprint that the party in the state was not jolted by the adjustment of the electoral time table as they were still within the time frame.

“Arrangements are on top gear to ensure that the process becomes a huge success in the end. We have to fine tune all administrative processes to ensure a successful outcome.

“For us as a party in Imo, we are the most popular, vibrant, and strongest political party in Imo state and you cannot take it away from the governor whose infrastructural development efforts has been lauded. He has remained visionary and focussed amidst distractions from the opposition. With that, our party is standing on a very strong platform with everybody on board.

“You only remember PDP when it has to do with burial ceremonies. I assure you that after our successful primaries, we are going to win the general elections. There is this erroneous belief that ‘Imo is PDP and PDP is Imo”. That has since been proven wrong as our party won the Okigwe zone and Ngor Okpala state constituency bye elections recently,” he said.

The Imo APC publicity secretary expressed optimism that with those victories at the back of their minds, “APC is in control and we will ensure that our candidates have equal opportunities, so that we have a rancour free exercise. Whoever emerges will get the backing of everybody for more victories in the general elections. Of course, the governor has said, he’s not endorsing anybody and that they should go and canvass for votes and win their elections.”

Reacting to the recent directive by the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state that aspirants should pay specific amounts of money to delegates to take care of their transportation to venues of the primaries, Duke said PDP had gone down history as a party capable of ” instituting bad examples in politics. You don’t determine how much an aspirant gives a delegate. How do you even checkmate them? How do you confirm that an aspirant has gone contrary to that? It is an open thing and shouldn’t be mandatory. You don’t encourage bad things. By so doing, they have legalized vote-buying and it is not good for our political system.”

Duke described primaries as an idea-driven thing, adding, “Like the governor pointed out when he was addressing delegates during the visit of the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo .It is an interactive session. He told them to feel free and ask the visitor questions on what he has to offer and place them on the table and vote the best candidate. It is very simple. 2015,2019 and 2023 are different. The issue now is:what do you want the country to be? We have to check one’s track records. If you are not faithful with little, you will not be faithful over much”.