The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, says no decision has been reached of the zone to produce its presidential candidate for the 2023 election raising new doubts on the zoning position of the party.
This comes as the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) led by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has begun fresh moves to pressure the major political parties to throw their tickets open to all sections of the country, saying that “power shift arrangement is already dead and buried.”
Speaking to State house correspondent at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Friday after presenting the Ekiti APC governorship candidate, Abiodun Oyebanji, to President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC National Chairman noted that the decision on which part of the country should produce the ruling party candidate was beyond him.
While stating that the APC was yet to decide, he said : “I am today privileged to be the chairman of the party. The party is greater than me. The party has not made a decision and I cannot preempt what the party decision will be.”
The ruling party had swapped its national offices between North and South, leading to the emergence of Adamu from the North Central as the national chairman.
Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had said just before the last national convention of the party that even though the APC had not decided on zoning the presidential ticket, the swapping of national offices was an indication of where its presidential candidate would come from.
Adamu also said that the party does not regret the high cost of nomination forms for candidates seeking elective positions under the party.
He asserted that the APC was keen to discourage parties that have no chance of winning election to sponsor individuals to play the role of spoilers.
According to him the cost also had to be exorbitant because of the need to raise sufficient funds to successfully prosecute coming elections.
The APC chairman however declined comment on the party’s position in line with section 84 (12) directing political appointees to resign before contesting any position.
He said the matter is in court and it will be amount to subjudice if he comments on the matter.
While receiving the Ekiti candidate,
in the governorship election, scheduled for June 18, 2022, President Buhari had noted that Oyebanji had served the state in many capacities, including as Chief of Staff, Commissioner, and Secretary to the State Government.
He said being governor will just be continuity of service and wished him “the best of luck.”
Apart from the APC chairman, the candidate was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, Chairman Progressives Governors Forum Atiku Bagudu.
The APC candidate Abiodun Oyebanji says if elected, he will build on the legacy of the current administration in the state.
Editor Paul Akhagbemhe
