Grassroots Politics Defeated Abuja Influence in Delta APC Primaries — Aniagwu

Charles Aniagwu
Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information

"The primaries for the 10 federal constituencies and three senatorial districts in the state were conducted openly using the Option A4 voting system, making manipulation of results practically impossible." Aniagwu.

.... Internal party elections are family affairs. You must know your party members, connect with leaders and engage the grassroots. You cannot sit in Abuja and expect people to vote for you on election day."

Delta State Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Charles Aniagwu, has defended the conduct of the recent primaries of the All Progressives Congress in Delta State, insisting that the exercises were transparent, democratic and driven by grassroots participation rather than political influence from Abuja.

Speaking on News Central Television on Tuesday, Aniagwu dismissed allegations of manipulation and imposition raised by some aggrieved aspirants, describing many of them as politicians who failed to build support within the party structure before the elections.

According to him, the primaries for the 10 federal constituencies and three senatorial districts in the state were conducted openly using the Option A4 voting system, making manipulation of results practically impossible.

Aniagwu specifically faulted complaints emanating from the Ndokwa/Ukwuani Federal Constituency, arguing that some aspirants lacked visibility and engagement at the grassroots level ahead of the contest.

He noted that the incumbent member representing the constituency in the House of Representatives, Nnamdi Ezechi, had built strong support across the 30 wards through sustained interaction and mobilisation of party members.

“Internal party elections are family affairs. You must know your party members, connect with leaders and engage the grassroots. You cannot sit in Abuja and expect people to vote for you on election day,” Aniagwu said.

The commissioner commended Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for providing what he described as a level playing field for all aspirants during the exercise.

He also praised Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national leadership of the APC for allowing the democratic process to run without interference.

Aniagwu argued that several defeated aspirants relied heavily on political connections in Abuja instead of cultivating support among party members at the ward level.

“Some of them thought Abuja would simply coronate them. Unfortunately, the coronation venue became the wards where party members queued openly to vote,” he stated.

Speaking on the Delta North Senatorial primary, Aniagwu said the victory recorded by former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, over incumbent senator, Ned Nwoko, reflected the mood of party members across the district.

According to him, the large turnout of supporters for Okowa in several wards discouraged some opponents from participating fully in the exercise.

Aniagwu also dismissed claims that party officials were instructed not to announce results at collation centres, insisting that the process remained transparent nationwide.

He explained that while the APC constituted appeal panels to entertain complaints from dissatisfied aspirants, no directive was issued stopping returning officers from declaring results.

The commissioner further cited the victories of Ede Dafinone and Joel-Onowakpo Thomas as evidence that consistent consultations, empowerment programmes and sustained grassroots mobilisation remained critical to electoral success.

He maintained that the Delta APC primaries had once again shown that political relevance could no longer be sustained through influence from Abuja without genuine grassroots support.