Why imposition of candidates is rampant in APC – party chieftain

By Jude Opara

A former National Vice Chairman, North-West, of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Dr Salihu Lukman, has said that imposition of candidates is rampant in the party because relevant party organs are not meeting.
Lukman, in a statement issued on Sunday, said that if organs of the party are meeting regularly, impositions of candidates would be minimised.
He added that for party organs to be made functional, the issue of party funding must be resolved beyond the current reality of dependence on elected representatives.
Against this background, Lukman called for deliberate reforms in the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general election.
He said: “The whole issue of activating all party structures and making them functional in line with provisions of the APC Constitution must be guaranteed.
“Once APC, being the ruling party, can operate based on provisions of its Constitution, the campaign to reform Nigerian politics and expand democratic space will be made much easier.
“If organs of the party are meeting regularly, problems of impositions of candidates will be minimised.
“In any case, issues leading to imposition of candidates are made possible and stronger because organs of the party vested with the responsibility of decisions regarding party primary are undermined.
“Consequently, party stakeholders who should have a say in decisions that can guarantee free and fair primary are marginalised. As much as party organs are meeting as prescribed by the party Constitution, incidences of imposition will be minimized.