A group, the North Central APC Forum, has asked the party to “return” its national chairmanship to the North-central zone.
The group made the demand on Thursday during a press briefing held in Abuja.
The Chairperson of the Forum, Sale Zazzaga, who spoke on behalf of the group, said the North-central has suffered neglect from the ruling party despite its performance at the last general election.
Mr Zaggaza said the North-west, the region of the embattled National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, occupies several positions at the detriment of the North-central.
He urged the party to consider the North-central zone in light of the political happenings in the party.
“Following the resignation of Abdullahi Adamu as the national chairman of the APC sometime last year, calls had been made for the retention of the office of the national chairman in the North-central in compliance with the party’s constitution. Unfortunately, these calls were not heeded and the position of national chairman was taken to the North-west. As it stands today, the North-west alone holds three key positions,” Mr Zaggaza said.
Background
Mr Adamu resigned as the chairperson of the APC in July 2023 after openly opposing the choices of President Bola Tinubu for the leadership of the National Assembly.
Consequently, Mr Tinubu backed Mr Ganduje, a former Kano State Governor, as the chairperson of the party despite opposition from many who argued that the North-central should be allowed to complete Mr Adamu’s tenure.
Aside from the national chairperson, the North-west equally produced the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, and the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin.
The former Zonal Vice Chairperson North-West of the APC, Salihu Lukman, championed the call for the North-central, and warned the president of the possible violation of the party. Mr Ganduje’s appointment was, however, ratified by the National Executive Committee of the party.
But Mr Ganduje is currently in the eyes of the storm as he is battling suspension from his ward over alleged corruption.
If he loses the battle, he may be removed from office.
Tinubu must intervene
The North Central APC Forum called on President Tinubu to intervene to rectify the exclusion of the North-central and urged the president to use the chairmanship as “a symbolic gesture”.
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“We are calling on Mr President and leader of the party, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other critical leaders and stakeholders of the party to look into the disadvantaged posture the North-central has found itself in,” Mr Zaggaza said.
He added that “to correct some of these anomalies, the party may kindly wish to show as a mark of goodwill towards the North-central, take a step back and look again into the provisions of the party’s constitution and return the position to the North-central.”