By Raymond Ekpe
The race for the 2027 general elections intensified on Thursday as Ambassador Ime Victor, an aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), paid for his expression of interest and nomination forms to contest the Abak State Constituency seat in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.
Party sources said the forms were processed in Abuja and would be collected in Uyo, in line with party guidelines for aspirants who have completed payment.
Victor is seeking to secure the APC ticket ahead of the party’s primaries, where he is expected to face competition, including from the incumbent Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Udeme Otong, who is reportedly aiming for a third term.
The development comes amid assurances from Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, that all aspirants would be given a level playing field during the party’s selection process.
Supporters of Victor claim he has garnered endorsements from a broad spectrum of stakeholders in Abak, including party leaders, traditional rulers, traders, youth groups, artisans and non-indigenes. However, there has been no official confirmation from party authorities regarding any consensus arrangement.
Victor, a former Secretary of Abak Local Government Council, is also the National President of Project 27, a political advocacy group with a presence in several states and the Federal Capital Territory. He previously served on the Appeal Screenings Committee during the APC’s last national convention.
According to the APC guidelines, party primaries for the 2027 general elections for National Assembly, State House of Assembly, governorship, and presidential are scheduled to take place between May 15 and 23, 2026, including the resolution of disputes arising from the process.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027. Campaigns are expected to begin on August 19, 2026, for national elections and September 9, 2026, for governorship and state assembly contests.
