As the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) commences the sales of nomination forms for different positions today (Monday) ahead of it national convention February 26, indications have emerged that a caucus of the defunct All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP) mainly from the North-east is already scurrying favour from the presidency.
But, a leading national chairmanship aspirant from the North-central, Malam Saliu Mustapha, said such decision won’t be a subject of rumour or gossip, adding that party’s decisions on critical issues such as zoning or mode of elections were usually thoroughly debated, arrived at and properly communicated.
Major contenders for the APC national chairmanship position from the North-east include; former governor of Borno state, Ali Modu Sheriff; Chief Sunny Moniedafe, former Governor of Bauchi state, Isa Yuguda; and another former Governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima.
Blueprint gathered that certain a major factor being considered was that the ANPP bloc of the APC, had not been adequately compensated and accommodated in the scheme of things in the ruling party.
The move unfolds
The source said: “The CPC has the president; the ACN has the Vice President and chairman of party. The ANPP went into the pact with the highest number of states and yet to be properly recognised with political positions.
“Barring any changes, the zoning of the APC national chairmanship to the North-east will take place in the next few days and this will expectedly put to rest earlier rumour that the position had been zoned to the North-central.”
The source added that in reaching the decision to zone the APC national chairmanship to the North-east, the presidency and the party’s national leadership and indeed its top echelon, might have looked at developments in the party.
Blueprint learnt that the North-east chairmanship aspirants were all on the same page to the effect that one of them should emerge the next APC national chairman to correct the perceived injustice done to the ANPP caucus since the formation of APC 2015.
The legacy political parties that merged into APC include; All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressives Congress (CPC), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), part of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Sen. Rochas Okorocha, and part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the G7 led by Senator Bukola Saraki.
The source further said the North-east chairmanship aspirants had presented their case to the presidency and Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and that the agitation was rightly being attended to.
“They also may have looked at happenings within the party’s ranks and files and the peculiar challenges that would meet it in 2023 general elections when President Muhammadu Buhari would not be on the ballot.
“It was agreed that for the APC to retain the presidency and maintain its winning streak after 2023, its next national chairman must be a person of character, social and economic standing with experience in party administration and a profound understanding of the process of, and intrigues in contesting and winning elections,” the source said.
We don’t dwell on rumours –Mustapha
But when contacted for his reaction to the development, Malam Saliu Mustapha campaign organisation dismissed the speculation.
Media aide to the chairmanship aspirant, Dapo Okunbanjo, said: “The Saliu Mustapha Campaign Organisation does not dwell on rumours or innuendos. We dwell on concrete, verifiable information that are properly communicated.
“The people at the helms of affairs of our party are serious minded people; they are not known to be flippant. So, as far as we know, party decisions as important and critical as zoning or mode of elections are usually thoroughly debated, arrived at, and properly communicated. It is not going to be a subject of rumours or gossips.
“But be that as it may, the stakeholders that are agitating for the North-Central zone to produce the party’s National Chairman in the February 2022 convention have made their case abundantly clear. We believe the party hierarchy, being people who cherish fairness; justice and equity would consider the merit of these agitations in arriving at their decisions for the best interest of the party.
“We believe our candidate, Malam Saliu Mustapha, having done his homework as dutifully and diligently as the circumstances demand of him, remains the candidate to beat. He is in pole position from the rest because he ticks all the right boxes as the best man to lead the APC into victory in the next election circle in 2023.”
Akume too
Also reacting to the development, the Sen. George Akume Campaign organisation, another chairmanship aspirant from the North-central, dismissed the agitation by the North-east.
Dr Richard Terwase, who spoke on behalf of the Akume group said: “My only interest is that my principal, Sen. Akume is in the race, and we hope and pray that the party’s leadership will see him as the most capable person to handle that position, am not awear of any zoning.”
Forum urges Buhari on N/central
Concerned APC Members Forum has written a letter asking President Muhammadu Buhari to anoint a credible national chairmanship aspirant for the party from the leagues of those seeking the office from the North-central ahead of the party’s national convention February 26.
In a letter dated 11th February, 2022 and addressed to the president, they also advised him to look into the records of the various individuals aspiring to lead the party, “owing in mind the internal zoning arrangement of the Party which is in North Central Nigeria.”
The letter signed by its convener, Comrade Okpokwu Ogenyi, believed that unless the president quickly intervenes, the party might be thrown into deeper crisis after the national convention.
The forum, which said it had intervened at various stages of the APC in the past, declared that “the quest to safeguard the soul of our Party also gave birth to the Progressive Youth Movement, PYM headed by Mustapha Audu. The PYM even went to court to press home its demands. The agitation also added an addendum to the clamour for a Convention which by God’s grace is holding in a few weeks.
“Your Excellency Sir, it was your interview with the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA that prompted the Progressives Governors’ Forum to initiate the process of the forthcoming National Convention of our Party slated for 26th February 2022. Again, we say thank you, sir.
“Judging by the activities of the various actors, we appeal to Mr. President not to allow the selfish interest of the 2023 Presidential ambition of some ranking members to destroy the Party. We want Mr. President to recommend a highly committed and disciplined member, a man of humility and resilience with acute knowledge of Party administration that will respect both former and serving Governors, Senators, Ministers, party faithfuls, and of course, the Leaders of our Party.
“We also want to draw Mr. President’s attention to the fact that, immediately after the Convention, there is a primary election not far away, so, the need to minimize our crises and concentrate on the 2023 general elections is very important.
“Your Excellency Sir, in recommending a candidate for the National Chairmanship position which may bring about consensus, we advise Mr. President to look into the records of the various individuals aspiring to lead the Party, owing in mind the internal zoning arrangement of the Party which is in North Central Nigeria.”
They asked Mr President to “call a meeting of all the aspirants for the National Chairmanship position and hand over the preferred candidate to them, instructing an all-inclusive government. This will immediately heal any injury in the heart of any and the course of explanation to his supporters while he stepped down.”
