By KEMI KASUMU
As the long dragged National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is now certain to hold Saturday March 26 as finally fixed, jostles for the top offices of the ruling party are now more contested at the zonal level than expected. Although media reports recently said with Alhaji Mai Mala Buni’s return to office as Chairman of the party’s Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Committee (CECC) the positions were now thrown open, making supporters of former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, believed their principal was still in the race, but events that have played out in North and South do not confirm a non-zoning arrangement in the respective geopolitical zones.
Per adventure it was due to this reality that Ali Modu Sheriff finally opted out because President Muhammadu Buhari, according to Governors of Kaduna and Plateau states, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and Sir Simon Lalong, respectively, favours North Central among zones in the North for the position of the National Chairman. It becomes therefore natural for the former two-term governor of Borno State to withdraw being that he is from North East.
Despite the information about President’s preference for the North Central for the chairmanship, former Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, from North West has insisted that, as far as he is concerned the position is thrown open to all Northerners going by Buni’s declaration and, therefore, that he is still in the race just Sheriff was said to still be the race until his final withdrawal was reported on Sunday.
In reality, the positions appear to be truly zoned between North and South and not among geopolitical zones meaning that, like the duo of APC governors said, positions held by South in the last eight years will now be flipped to the North and vice versa, which is the ground on which Yari from the North West stands. What El-Rufai and Lalong said that are not, however, tallied with Buni’s position is further zoning within the region which sees positions spelt out among three zones in North and South.
As it is more clearly seen, the battle for the various positions to be members of APC’s National Working Committee (NWC) is now more fought at the six respective geopolitical zones of the country being because, apart from National Chairmanship, which will be decided at the Convention ground in Abuja if effort to reach consensus in the North before time does not succeed, other positions will be decided at the zonal level.
Apart from National Chairmanship that is contested by candidates, largely from North Central and North West, other positions have remained at the geopolitical zones despite Buni’s no-zoning arrangement declaration. What The DEFENDER cannot confirm is whether the Yobe State governor’s update two days ago debunking the report that he changed the plans on ground for the National Convention also includes that he did not utter the zoning within geopolitical zones announced by El-Rufai and Lalong. It is however clear that the two governors’ announced zoning pattern obtains as the battle for the top positions last.
National Chairman
Although believed to be more preferred to come from North Central where the bulk of its contestant stands, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be contested by five candidates from North Central and one from North West a development that makes the contest more cumbersome. These are six candidates, who are jostling for the position from the North and people, who have obtained, filled and submitted their Nomination and Expression of Interests Forms for the top position. Among them two former governors of Nasarawa State, Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Tanko Al-Makura, a former Governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume, former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, Senator Sani Musa and former Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) Deputy National Chairman, Malam Saliu Mustapha.
National Secretary
The position of National Secretary who heads the National Secretariat of the party is being contested only by candidates from South West where four candidates have indicated interest. They are two from Oyo, one from Osun and one from Ondo states. On the list are a member of Buhari’s Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc and former Governorship Candidate, Professor Abideen Olaiya, Barr. Adebayo Shittu (Oyo), Chief Iyiola Omisore (Osun) and Engr. Ifeoluwa Oyedele (Ondo). Professor Olaiya is more a virgin candidate among the four and Oyo State people have made strong case for his emergence whether consensus or voting method is used.
Deputy Nation Chairman South, others
In the South-East, the zone has been allocated 11 positions which they are expected to fill through consensus, reportedly. By this arrangement, Abia State was allocated the positions of National Welfare Secretary and Zonal Youth leader, Anambra State was given three positions, namely Deputy National Organizing Secretary and Ex-Officio member, while Ebonyi State was allocated offices of National Treasurer and Zonal Secretary.
Enugu State was asked to produce the Deputy National Chairman (South), which had been held by South West in the last either years, and Zonal Woman leader. Imo State got the positions of National Vice Chairman (South East) and Zonal Special Citizens.
In Abia, it is learned that the party has adopted consensus to fill their slots and Chief Friday Nwosu, a lawyer, has been chosen for the National Welfare Officer and he has since picked forms for the position while the State Zonal youth leader, Ikenna Anyalewechi will fill the position of the zonal youth leader.
