There are indications that governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are currently jostling to host the party’s national convention slated for February 2022. Aside the governors, some powerful stakeholders are making moves to determine the venue of the convention, where the party’s National Working Committee members would be elected.
Sources say that the new national officers would play a major role in determining the processes that would lead to the emergence of the party’s presidential candidate and governorship candidates for the 2023 general elections.
It was gathered that the brains behind the lobbying were those with presidential ambition or those who want their interest protected by the party’s next leadership.
Lagos is said to be favoured by a who claim that because of the relative security it offers, devoid of banditry with enough hotels and resorts to accommodate the large number of guests and delegates that would attend the convention.
Apart from Lagos, it was gathered that influential party members in states like Plateau, Kogi, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory were also lobbying to host the convention.
Those canvassing for the event to hold in Abuja argued that “all the contestants for all the positions would have equal chance and nobody would claim any advantage over the other.”
However, the President, National Caucus of the party, including its members in the National Assembly, would be consulted by the party’s leadership before taking a final decision on the matter.
The Secretary to the party’s Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator Akpan Udoedehe told journalists that no decision had been taken on the venue.
He said, “I cannot say anything on the issue of venue for the proposed national convention now. The committee is yet to meet or take a position on that. You know we act for our party’s National Working Committee, the National Executive Committee and other organs.
“Before we take any decision on the venue, we have to consult widely and the decision will be that of everyone. There is no need to lie or mislead anyone. We are yet to take any decision on that.”