Minister Rules out Automatic Ticket for Defectors in Enugu APC

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, has said that there will be no automatic ticket for any individual intending to defect to the party in Enugu State.

Nnaji who spoke in Enugu during an expanded stakeholders meeting of the party at the weekend, was reacting to rumours making the rounds that the State Governor, Peter Mbah intends to join the party ahead of the 2027 governorship election in the state.

In his address, Nnaji advised all intending defectors to perish the thought of automatic ticket, insisting that the party would receive them but subject everybody to party primaries.

“APC has come to stay; that is why from every nooks and cranny, people want to join APC,” he said. “And as we said earlier, we want people to come in, but we will not give them free ticket, they must go to contest”

Speaking further, he said “Anybody who wants to run for the governorship of Enugu State, let him come to APC, we will go to contest, we are waiting for them,”.

Meanwhile, the State Chairman of the party, Ugochukwu Agballah informed party members to participate actively in the coming continuous voter registration, CVR, exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, noting that from the end of August anybody attending Ward meeting must go with his or her voter card.

He also enjoined all stakeholders to return to their wards and local government areas to build the party ahead of the election.

Three members of the House of Representatives, who recently defected from Labour Party, LP, to APC, including Hon Sunday Umeha (Udi/Ezeagu), Hon Chimobi Atu (Enugu North/Enugu South) and Hon Prof. Paul Nnamchi in their message pledged their support to ensure that APC wins all the political positions in the state in 2027, including the governorship seat.