APGA Will No Longer Tolerate Vote Buying, Transactional Politics At Primaries, Says Soludo

The Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, says the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) primaries will no longer permit monetary inducement or transactional politics.

He spoke on Saturday at the party’s South-East zonal stakeholders’ meeting in Awka.

Mr Soludo linked the party’s slow growth since 2002 to a culture where officials allegedly exploited aspirants during primaries.

He said the practice weakened internal democracy, discouraged credible participation and undermined institutional development.

“The era of marketing party tickets is over. Parties must be driven by values, policies and accountability, not commerce,” he said.

Mr Soludo lamented a system where party funds were allegedly shared immediately, leaving no structure for sustainable financing.

“The party has not grown because past leaderships treated it as a business venture. That must stop,” he added.

He urged stakeholders to reassess direction and rebuild APGA as a transparent, accountable and ideologically driven platform.

“Our tickets are not for sale. We are rebuilding the party into what it should be, not a trading post,” he said.

Mr Soludo said past practices, where aspirants were allegedly misled after financial commitments, eroded trust and discouraged genuine investment.

He warned that “give-and-take” politics in APGA had ended, stressing the party must serve collective interests.

APGA National Chairman, Sylvester Ezeokenwa, announced an 11-point code of conduct for future primaries.

Mr Ezeokenwa said the framework would promote transparency, equity and internal democracy, while addressing disputes in nomination processes.

He said the party would adopt the Option A4 voting system for the 2026 primaries to enhance transparency and accountability.

“In the past, flawed primaries undermined APGA. Clear rules are needed to address these challenges,” he said.

According to him, the code bans officials from wearing campaign materials or accepting gifts and prohibits the distribution of money or items during primaries.

Mr Ezeokenwa added that only expression of interest fees would be paid initially, with nomination fees after successful screening.

He said officials must not attend private endorsement events and should step aside if supporting any aspirant.

Chukwuma Soludo

“Even presenting money as a kola nut or gift-sharing has been banned,” he said.

Earlier, National Vice Chairman (South-East), Chief Augustine Ehiemere, cited inadequate funding as a major challenge.

Mr Ehiemere urged elected and appointed officials to support the party’s platform for financial sustainability.

“Political activities require logistics, mobilisation and administration. Without funding, the party cannot function effectively,” he said.

Obi, Amaechi, Others Meet In Abuja, Discuss Nigeria’s Democratic Future

Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, on Saturday hosted Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), and other opposition leaders at his Abuja residence.

Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, Achike Udenwa, former governor of Anambra; and Victor Oganku were also at the meeting.

TheCable understands that discussions by the politicians centred on strengthening the opposition front and Nigeria’s democratic future.

Amaechi, Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar are members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and are eyeing the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former minister contested the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary and came second behind President Bola Tinubu, who won the party’s ticket.

In March, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC, said the party was working to adopt a consensus approach in selecting its presidential candidate for the 2027 poll.

Abdullahi said the party had the options of direct primaries and consensus for electing its presidential candidate, adding that indirect primaries were “no longer on the table”, as stipulated in the amended Electoral Act.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Friday, Amaechi said he has positioned himself as a viable contender for the next presidential race on the ADC platform.

Amaechi rejected the call for a consensus arrangement within the ADC ahead of the 2027 poll, insisting that aspirants must be allowed to test their popularity at the ballot.

Peter Obi

He said Nigerians are yearning for competent leadership to address economic hardship and insecurity.

The former governor of Rivers, however, said he would support Abubakar if the former vice-president emerges as the party’s standard-bearer for the 2027 presidential poll.

FG Warns Against Illegal Use Of Ambassador Title, Fake Diplomatic Identities

President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has warned against the rising abuse of diplomatic titles in Nigeria, particularly the illegal use of the designation “Ambassador” by unauthorised individuals and groups.

The warning was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, in Abuja.

“Some of the persons conferred illegally with the Ambassadorial titles unfortunately parade themselves as such in official communications and even in engagements with foreign embassies in Nigeria which has caused serious embarrassment to the federal government.

“The Ministry warns that individuals parading themselves as “Ambassadors” based on such deceitful conferment are engaging in impersonation, which is a criminal offence and therefore strongly cautions all persons involved in such illegalities or parading themselves as Ambassadors to desist forthwith,” the statement said.

The government also raised alarm over the use of fake diplomatic passports, identity cards, vehicle number plates, and other materials bearing the insignia of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by impostors.

Tinubu

According to the statement, some of those involved in the practice go as far as parading themselves as ambassadors in official correspondence and in dealings with foreign missions in Nigeria, a development it said has embarrassed the country.

It, however, stressed that only the president and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has the constitutional authority to appoint and accredit ambassadors for Nigeria, adding that no individual, group, or organisation has the power to confer diplomatic titles.