AFTER several months of intrigues and backstabbing by power blocs, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to conduct the much-anticipated presidential convention where its standard-bearer will emerge ahead of the next general election.
The national chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, on Sunday inaugurated 19 committees to handle the process, barely 24 hours to the scheduled date.
Against the stand of the northern APC governors to cede power to the South, certain aspirants in the race from the North have refused to defer to the resolution asking them to withdraw from the race.
Six of the northern governors in a communique issued at the end of their weekend meeting in Abuja “strongly recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari that the search for a successor as the APC presidential candidate be limited to our compatriots from the southern states.”
They further maintained that, “It is a question of honour for the APC; an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party.”
Feelers from the camp of the aspirants, however, revealed that they might have decided to snub the northern governors.
At the weekend, only Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru, formally withdrew from the race.
Head of Communications, Yahaya Bello Campaign Organisation, Dr Yemi Kolapo, said the Kogi State governor would not drop his ambition as he dismissed the resolutions of the northern governors as mere recommendation that is not binding on her principal.
She said: “Are they presidential aspirants? They only gave mere recommendations. Has the party agreed to their suggestion? Even the national chairman of the party said no decision was taken at the dinner with Mr President on Saturday.
“We started this campaign before any of the aspirants. At this stage, on the eve of the election, you can’t be telling us to withdraw.”
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, who incidentally is from North-East, has also snubbed the resolutions of the northern governors.
Iyke Ekeoma, spokesman of the Ahmed Lawan campaign organisation, said the position taken by President Buhari mandating presidential aspirants to present a consensus candidate superseded the resolutions of the APC northern governors.
He said: “The president’s position supersedes the resolutions of the APC northern governors. It is merely advisory, not binding on the aspirants. Even the party’s national chairman hasn’t said anything on zoning.
“The president has tasked aspirants to bring a consensus candidate. That’s the level we are; we are still in the race.”
Source: Tribune.