Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia Central Senatorial District have disowned the party’s senatorial primary election, describing the exercise as a “farcical display of brigandage” that failed to reflect the will of party members.

In a protest letter addressed to the national leadership of the APC and titled “Irregularities, Brigandage, and Breach of Electoral Process in Abia Central Senatorial Primary,” the aggrieved stakeholders accused certain individuals of hijacking the process and denying party faithful the opportunity to choose their candidate.

The petition, signed by leaders including Uche Onyejekwe and Mrs. Ego Nwamuo, stated that members had initially welcomed the adoption of the direct primary system, believing it would allow wider participation and ensure a transparent emergence of candidates for the 2027 general election.

However, they said the process turned out to be deeply flawed.

According to the stakeholders, what should have been a celebration of internal democracy was instead marred by alleged manipulation and imposition of results.

“We regret to inform you that the party lost a golden opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to internal democracy and inclusiveness,” the protesters stated.

They alleged that some politicians “hijacked the process and allocated votes” in several wards where no voting exercise took place.

The stakeholders appealed to the APC national leadership to investigate what they described as a breach of electoral procedures and the unlawful exclusion of party members during the May 18, 2026 senatorial primary in Abia Central.

They expressed confidence that a proper investigation would justify a review of the declared outcome and possibly lead to a rerun of the exercise in areas where there was no evidence of voting.

The protesters further claimed that members of the seven-man APC National Assembly Primary Election Committee, as well as INEC officials and security personnel, failed to appear in many wards and local government areas.

According to them, party members waited throughout the day without accreditation, voting materials, or officials, only to later hear that results had been announced with what they described as fictitious figures assigned to candidates.

They also questioned the declaration of Hon. Emeka Atumah as winner of the primary, insisting that the figures announced were unbelievable given the alleged absence of voting in many locations.

“We are convinced that the outcome was predetermined from the beginning, as figures were allegedly written and allocated behind closed doors,” they claimed.

The stakeholders listed several wards where they said no election took place, including Oloko Ward 2 and Usaka Ward in Ikwuano LGA, Osisioma Wards 2, 3, 8, and 9, as well as Okporo Ahaba Ward 1.

They also alleged that the results were announced by one Hon. Thomas Nkoro, whom they claimed was not a member of the official seven-man committee sent from APC headquarters in Abuja.

The protesters called on the party leadership to verify whether Nkoro was authorized to announce the results of the primary.

They added that party members from the affected wards were ready to testify and provide evidence that no election was conducted in their areas.

The stakeholders urged the APC leadership to identify and sanction those responsible for the alleged irregularities and resolve the crisis in the interest of the party.