By Jimmy Fatunbi
The National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Felix Morka, has defended the party’s decision to substitute some candidates after its primaries, insisting the changes were lawful and formed part of the party’s internal review process.
Speaking during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Morka dismissed allegations that the APC arbitrarily replaced candidates or handed tickets to individuals who did not participate in the primaries.
According to him, the party received more than 720 petitions from aggrieved aspirants following the primaries. He explained that the complaints were examined by appeal committees before being reviewed by the National Working Committee (NWC), which approved changes where necessary.
“We received over 720 petitions from those who contested in that election. These petitions were reviewed by the appeal committees, and their recommendations were further assessed by the National Working Committee before final decisions were made,” he said, describing the substitutions as legitimate outcomes of the primary election process.
Morka argued that party primaries are not limited to voting alone but include an appeal mechanism for resolving disputes, maintaining that the review process is an integral part of the exercise.
“Primary election is a process. It’s not an event. The appeal process is an integral part of the primary election process,” he stated while rejecting claims that the party violated the Electoral Act.
He also denied allegations that the APC awarded tickets to individuals who neither purchased nomination forms nor participated in the primaries, saying he was unaware of any such case and challenged critics to provide specific examples.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that some aspirants were unhappy with the outcome but said the party carefully considered every petition before reaching its decisions.
He added that the party had begun engaging dissatisfied aspirants to reassure them that the review process was transparent, objective and not driven by personal interests.
Morka further dismissed claims that the review mechanism was manipulated to favour certain political interests, stressing that internal appeal processes exist to correct irregularities that may arise during primaries.
On concerns that the ruling party was apprehensive about the next general election despite controlling most state governments, Morka expressed confidence in the APC’s electoral prospects.
He noted that the party had won all elections conducted since the 2023 general elections, including recent by-elections, and said the APC remained focused on securing victory in the next nationwide polls.
