The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has overturned the Abia State chapter’s earlier decision to zone its 2027 governorship ticket to Abia Central Senatorial Zone, effectively restoring an open contest for all interested aspirants.
The reversal comes barely 24 hours after the Abia APC State Working Committee announced that the party’s gubernatorial ticket would be ceded exclusively to Abia Central, a move that generated widespread reactions among party stakeholders and political leaders across the state.
In a statement issued on Friday by the Abia APC Publicity Secretary, Uche Aguoru, the party disclosed that the national leadership reviewed concerns raised by stakeholders and subsequently directed the state chapter to discard all previously announced zoning arrangements.
“Following concerns raised by stakeholders and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia State, the National Leadership of the party has reviewed the concerns raised,” the statement said.
It added that “all zoning arrangements earlier issued by the State Working Committee” have been jettisoned, with the party directed to maintain the status quo.
This means that all aspirants seeking elective offices under the APC platform, including governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly positions, are now free to obtain nomination forms and contest without zoning restrictions.
The decision is seen as a significant policy shift aimed at calming internal tensions and preserving party unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political observers believe the initial zoning declaration may have triggered resistance from key blocs within the party, prompting swift intervention from the national leadership to prevent further division.
With the latest directive, the APC in Abia has effectively thrown open its political space, setting the stage for broader competition among aspirants while reinforcing the supremacy of the party’s national structure over state-level decisions.
