The National Chairman of All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has said that issue of zoning of the party’s presidential ticket for the 2023 election was not something he can decide on.
Adamu spoke to State House Correspondents after presenting the party’s candidate for the Ekiti governorship election, Biodun Oyebanji, to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was accompanied to the Presidential Villa by the Ekiti Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Kebbi Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) Atiku Bagudu and National Secretary of the APC, Senator Iyiola Omisore.
The Nation reports that the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) on Thursday asked major political parties to throw the contest for their presidential tickets open to all regions, asserting that the zoning system is no longer desirable.
The ruling party had swapped its national offices between North and South, leading to the emergence of Adamu from the North Central as the national chairman.
Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai just before the party’s National Convention, said that even though the APC had not decided on zoning the presidential ticket, the swapping of national offices was an indication of where its presidential candidate would come from.
But when asked where the ruling party would be zoning its presidential ticket to, Adamu said taking such decision would be the job of the entire party, which he said is bigger than himself as Chairman.
“I am today privileged to be the chairman of the party. The party is greater than me. The party has not made a decision and I cannot preempt what the party decision will be,” he said.
(Nation, excluding headline)
