The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Eze Nwachukwu, in Ebonyi, has said the party’s flag bearers in the forthcoming 2019 general elections will emerge through credible, popular, transparent and peaceful process.
Mr Nwachukwu gave the assurance in an interview on Wednesday in Abakaliki.
He was reacting to the release of schedules and time table for conduct of the 2019 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
According to him, the party will ensure that only qualified and credible candidates will emerge during the party’s nomination process, adding that the exercise must follow due process.
“INEC has just announced the schedule and time table of events for the 2019 general elections and the implication is that political parties will soon begin the process of selecting candidates to fly their flags for the various positions ahead of 2019.
“We want to assure our supporters and party faithful that all our candidates will emerge through an open, credible and seamless process.
“We are known as a party that shuns imposition and god fatherism in selecting those we give tickets to fly our party flags in any election.
“We demonstrated this rare position in 2015 at the party’s convention where we chose the presidential candidate for the 2015 general election that saw the emergence of the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The exercise was adjudged the most peaceful, credible and transparent presidential convention by any major political party since the dawn of the present republic in 1999.
“We are going to demonstrate the same attribute in choosing all our candidates for the various positions in the forthcoming elections not only in Ebonyi, but in states across the federation.
“In APC, imposition and god fatherism are two words that do not exist in the party’s lexicon and we will ensure that only credible and electable candidates will be chosen in a free, fair and open contest,” Mr Nwachukwu said.
He called on all eligible electorate in the state to register and ensure that they obtained their voter cards to qualify to vote, assuring that outcome of 2019 election results would be determined by their votes.
“We in APC are confident and are holding onto the words of INEC that votes must count in 2019 general elections in Ebonyi, hence we are urging eligible electorate to register and obtain their voter cards to qualify to vote in the elections.
“The change we desire in the state lie in our own hands; therefore, we must rise above political apathy and ensure that we participate actively in choosing our representatives from state to federal levels,” he added.
He restated commitment of the party to take over power from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, who he accused of leadership failure.
NAN
