APC Convention: Controversy trails unity lists

Ahead of March 26 National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sunday Telegraph has gathered that a Unity list would emerge this week. That is according to a party source, who confided in a Sunday Telegraph correspondent.

There have been controversies in the last few weeks over who has been penciled down for the National Chairmanship position from the North Central geopolitical zone.

That was even as two separate lists with President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature on different zoning arrangements have emerged. The two documents have February 25 and March 1 dates on them.

The president had met with APC governors on March 1 before departing for Kenya on an official visit. In one particular zoning, President Buhari signed South West for National Secretary and South East for Deputy National Chairman. In another one, Buhari signed South South zone for National Secretary.

The National Chairmanship candidates from the zone are: Senator Sani Musa, Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Senator George Akume and Alhaji Saliu Mustapha. However, it had been rumoured that President Muhammadu Buhari, the leader of the party, has shown preference for Senator Abdullahi Adamu. This purported endorsement of Adamu has brought instability in the party and in the camps of the other candidates.

Many party chieftains and groups have rejected the endorsement, considering it as fabrications of some Presidential and Vice Presidential aspirants. But speaking to Sunday Telegraph, a party source stated that different Unity lists would emerge this week to project the ambitions of the sponsors.

This would also be made possible as the Zoning Committee constituted by the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee would submit its report on tomorrow, the source said.

The Caretaker Committee constituted the Zoning Committee in defiance to the Progressive Governors Forum’s (PGF) position on zoning. The PGF had zoned the National Working Committee (NWC) positions, which was made public through the twitter handle of the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. However, a Caretaker Committee member confided in our correspondent that it is not the responsibility of the PGF to zone the NWC positions, which prompted the need for them to setting up the Zoning Committee.

The party source said that there would be some alterations from the zoning of PGF. Such alterations would likely be on the National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary and National Youth Leader.

The PGF had zoned the National Secretary to South West, National Organizing Secretary, North West and National Youth Leader, South West. South East stakeholders are contesting the zoning, demanding for the position of National Secretary against the Deputy National Chairman zoned to them. Also the South/South Youth Assembly is demanding for the position of the National Youth Leader to be zoned to the South South.

In the petition letter signed by Hon. Chinedu Egbenumolise, National Secretary of the group and addressed to the Chairman of the CECPC Zoning Committee, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, the Youth Assembly said: “We write to formally and humbly appeal to you and your very important committee to seriously consider the zoning of the office of the APC National Youth Leader to the South – South region of Nigeria for the March 26th National Convention of our great party the All- Progressives Congress.

“This appeal has become necessary to avert the minds of the zoning committee members on the need to urgently galvanize the teeming youth population in the region to break the opposition stronghold and enhance the electoral fortunes of the party in the coming 2023 general elections.”

The Unity lists, which will centre mostly on the positions of National Chairmanship, Deputy National Chairmanship and National Secretary would have one with Senator Abdullahi Adamu (National Chairman), Senator John Akpanudoudehe ( National Secretary), Senator Ken Nnamani (Deputy National Chairman South) and Hon.Ali Bukar Dalori (Deputy National Chairman North). Another list will have Senator Tanko Al-Makura (National Chairman), Dr. Adebayo Shittu (National Secretary), Senator Ken Nnamani (Deputy National Chairman South) and Hon. Farouk Aliyu Adamu (Deputy National Chairman North), it was gathered.

According to the source, “the party should expect different Unity lists this week.

“The NWC lists would project different interest of different Presidential and Vice Presidential aspirants “However, the lists would bring a new vista of crisis as the zones would protest the nomination of candidates.”

Also on the alleged Unity lists, the Coordinator of the APC Integrity Group, Malam Dawu Mohammed, has said that they would not accept any list that does not reflect the wishes of the party members.

According to him: “It must not be a list drawn for the reason to secure Presidential and Vice Presidential tickets. “The APCIG is set to rescue the party from the hands of those trading with it.” (Sunday Telegraph)