Aspirants vying for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket in Anambra have strongly opposed alleged plans to zone the party’s ticket to a specific senatorial district.

During a gathering at the APC headquarters in Abuja, the aspirants dismissed zoning as a political strategy adopted by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to retain power, arguing that it would be detrimental to APC’s chances in the upcoming election.

Paul Chukwuma, a former member of the APC National Working Committee and one of the aspirants, criticized zoning as an APGA-driven agenda, insisting that Anambra should not be bound by such an arrangement.

“It is important to tell Nigerians that there is nothing like zoning in Anambra. Anyone advocating for it is serving APGA’s interests. APGA has used this method to cling to power despite underperformance,” Chukwuma stated.

He further argued that restricting candidates to a particular senatorial zone undermines democracy and fair competition.

“Some are pushing the zoning agenda more than ever because of our presence in the race. If we base elections on zoning alone, there will be no real contest. A true democracy thrives when candidates emerge from different zones, allowing voters to choose the best leader,” he added.

Chukwuma also raised concerns about the deteriorating security situation in Anambra, stating that kidnappings and killings have become daily occurrences despite government efforts.

As the APC prepares for its state congress, the aspirants are calling for an open and competitive primary election, rejecting any zoning arrangement that could limit the party’s chances in the governorship race.