North Central Zone Joins Race for APC National Chairman’s Position.
By Sadiq Abubakar, Abuja.
The North Central Zone has joined the race to contest the position of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Bello, right with leader of the North Central Zone when he led stakeholders on a courtesy call to the governor at government house in Minna, Niger state on Monday
This was disclosed in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Niger State, Mary Noel Betje, on Tuesday, when APC stakeholders from the North Central paid courtesy call on Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, who doubled as the Chairman of the North Central Governors Forum, at the Government House, Minna.
Governor, Bello while explaining the journey so far by the party members from the North central zone since the inception of the party, said the zone should not be left out of the race adding that as a forum, they have agreed to join the race, even though some other zones have also indicated interest for the chairmanship seat.
“As the chairman of the North Central Governors Forum, I have called a meeting of the Governors and we agreed that we should not be left out. There are many aspirants from North West and North East.”
Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello (m) with stakeholders of the North Central Zone when they paid a courtesy call on the govenor at government house in Minna, Niger state on Monday
He, however, noted that as the chairman of the governors from the zone, and representative of the zone at the national level of the party, himself and the other governors do not have the power to decide who to contest, but will at the end of all scrutiny, support who will emerge as a candidate from the zone.
“Yes we have already discussed to go for the office of National chairman but it is not in my place to say who would get it or not.
“This is politics if you are able to convince other zones to allow North Central present next chairman, you would have made our work easier”, he said.
He added that the contributions of North Central Zone to the APC in the last previous election, cannot be over-emphasised, hence, they should be rewarded accordingly.
The governor charged the APC as a ruling party to accept all responsibilities as excuses and defense will not be accepted by the people, while expressing optimism that the security challenges will soon be over especially with the recent combined efforts being shown by the security agencies.
The chairman of the North Central Governors Forum added that the APC still have enough time to rebuild the confidence of the people as it remains the party to beat.
Earlier, Dominic Alancha, the coordinator of the stakeholders said that they were in the state to seek the governor’s blessing in advocating for the zone to produce the next APC national chairman.
Alancha, added that the North Central since the formation of APC in 2013 and going into the election in 2015 have been voting APC all through.
He said that the North Central has the history of managing political party which is the reason they want to pilot the affairs of the party.
“I believe where we are now as a party we need somebody with capacity from North Central to come and pilot the ship of APC so that it can take it to the promise land”.
He commended the governor on the giant strides he has taken to end the security challenges that has bedevilled parts of the State.
