A former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon Kennedy Ibeh has defended the emergence of candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by consensus for the local government council polls in the state scheduled for Saturday September 21, 2024..
Hon Ibeh insisted that there was nothing wrong in choosing the candidates through a consensus arrangement by the leaders and stakeholders of the party.
Speaking with our correspondent in Owerri on Friday, Hon Ibeh who is the member representing Obowo Constituency said; “Primary election is an internal affair of a party through which candidates of the party emerge by direct voting, indirect (or delegate) voting or by consensus.
“Consensus is not defined or limited by explanation, therefore the coming together of leaders of the party at the highest level (as applicable) to select candidates out of aspirants, can suffice as a consensus arrangement.
“I think and dare to say that at the state level, any coming together of leadership for the purpose of LG election which comprises the governor (leader of the party in the state), the party chairman with his exco, the chairmen of the LGAs with their excos can validly sit to take valid decisions that are in the best interest of the state.
“Therefore, I find nothing entirely wrong with the process that produced the APC candidates”.
Hon Ibeh described the party as supreme, saying that anyone crying or kicking against the consensus arrangement is either pursuing a selfish agenda or just not a genuine party man.
He stressed that a good party member is one who moves on anytime decisions of the party go contrary to his belief and desire.
Hon Ibeh added that such a party man cannot be heard or seen in public opposing or contradicting party position.
Hear him; “Party is supreme, therefore, I most humbly hold that any one crying over the conduct of APC primaries for the coming LG election is either pursuing a selfish agenda or just not a genuine partyman.
One of the key indicators of a 'partyman' is the attitude of moving on whenever any decision of the party has been made public, whether or not he succeeds in driving his interest in the internal process. A partyman cannot be seen or heard in public contradicting internal party decisions”.
The lawmaker lent his support to the decision of the leadership of the party with regards to consensus arrangement, saying any other method would have triggered chaos and breached the security in the state.
Hear him;”Permit me to add here also that for whatever it is worth, I endorse the State APC leadership for exemplary wisdom in this primary election because any other form adopted in today's Imo State would have brought about avoidable chaos, cost, and serious disruption of our already fragile social situation, further burdening the state architecture”.
