The National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has adopted indirect mode of election for the party’s April 5, 2025 governorship primary election, ahead of the November 8 Anambra State Governorship election.

Decision to this effect was reached on Thursday at a crucial meeting of the party’s highest administrative organ in Abuja.

National Secretary of the party, Senator Ajibola Bashiru who disclosed this to newsmen after the meeting at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, assured that the party leadership would provide a level playing ground for the seven aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket.

Bashiru debunked an earlier advertisement that projected that the NWC had adopted direct mode of primary. He clarified that no such decision was taken in respect of the party’s shadow election Anambra state.

The seven aspirants jostling for the party’s ticket are Hon. Chukuma Michael Umeoji, Prof. Obiora Francis Okonwko, Nicholas Chukwujeku Ukachukwu, Sir Paul Chukwuma, Engr. Johnbosco Obinna Onunkwo, Valentine Ozigbo and Chief Edozie Madu.

Disclosing the outcome of the meeting, the Secretary, “Our (NWC) meeting considered the processes in the ongoing Anambra governorship election which is scheduled to be held by November 8, 2025. The National Working Committee of the party took cognizance of the fact that advertisement had been made and it seems the advertisement was seemingly projecting that the NWC had adopted direct mode of primary but in actual fact no positive resolution of the NWC had been taken before today (Thursday) as to the mode of primary. 

“At the NWC today it was put into consideration, now formally decided that the mode of emergence of the candidate for that election will be through indirect primary. 

“In order to carry along all stakeholders, a stakeholders meeting with the State Working Committee (SWC), state caucus and the aspirants will hold at the national headquarters of the party by 1: pm on Tuesday next week to carry them along. And correspondence to this effect will be made to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

“There will be supplementary advertisement and public sensitisation as to the mode of primary and the new timetable adjusted in line with that decision.”

The APC National Secretary also said that the NWC considered its proposition to begin engagement with government appointees on their achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu immediately after the Ramadan fasting.

He stressed that the initiative was to ensure that there was engagement between the party and government officials to x-ray the progress and challenges faced by different Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.

Basiru also said that the NWC reviewed the ongoing membership e-registration exercise of the party, adding that the consultants handling the project had been mobilised and that necessary equipment and software were also being put in place to ensure that the exercise was seamless.

“Our commitment is that before the next election, we would have a register that has integrity and will also be useful for the purposes of accessing the demographics within the party,” he said.