APC Chairman: Southern delegates set to stop Adamu

Chances of a former governor of Nasarawa State and aspirant for the post of national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, appear threatened following his uncompromising opposition to the zoning of 2023 presidency to the southern part of the country.

It was gathered on Tuesday night that delegates to the convention of the party coming up on Saturday in Abuja have resolved to work against his chairmanship bid.

The delegates took the decision at a virtual meeting with most of the southern governors, as part of the ongoing collaborative efforts to present a common front at the convention.

A credible source said that virtually all the governors, except one, were unanimous that Adamu could not be entrusted with the party’s leadership, owing to his alleged aversion to the southern part of the country.

Adamu, who represents Nasarawa South in the Senate, was quoted as saying the 1999 Constitution (as amended) did not mandate political parties to zone presidency or any other political office to any part of the country.

He had responded to a question on power shift to the South at a briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, stating that “My answer to that is the constitution. Nowhere in the Nigerian Constitution says we should zone any public office.

“There is Federal Character, but not that parties must zone positions for presidency during election. The constitution is being reviewed. If you want a specific provision that a presidential position be zoned, you say it, and tell us how you want it to be zoned.

“You can’t just wish away a situation that is fundamental to a country. You can’t talk of merit and talk of zoning. You can’t. Let’s just go by merit. Let every party find a way of selling itself in a manner that will garner the votes that will win the election. It’s as simple as that.

“Do we have anything like that in the American constitution? Are we more democratic than them? It is democracy. Why do you want to change it? Wishful thinking only.

“Yes, somebody is saying the South-East has not had a president. I agree and I sympathise with them. But the constitution says you can only become president through the ballot box. And we have been saying it during elections that every vote must count. So, why do you want to zone? Zone your mind if you want to zone,” Adamu had said.

But while expressing joy that President Muhammadu Buhari had declared that he had no anointed candidate among the aspirants, the southern delegates said they had nothing personal against Adamu but were averse to his apparent hatred for the South.

“We have nothing personal against Abdullahi Adamu except for the fact that he has demonstrated an undiluted hatred for the South. Recall that this man rubbished the call for zoning and went ahead to use insulting words on our leaders who spearhead zoning.

“Such a man cannot be trusted with the leadership of a party with a beard and national outlook like the APC. We would wait for him in an ambush. We won’t vote for him because he talks down on people and does not seem to respect the views of others.

“We thank God Mr President has washed his hands off the purported endorsement; so no one can force us to do what we don’t have in mind.

“The contest has been thrown open and that is where we intend to pay back that man [Abdullahi Adamu]. We will surprise him,” the source stated. (Nigerian Tribune)