Ahead National Convention: APC Zones National Offices

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THE marathon meeting held by the national caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday night into the wee hour of Wednesday has produced a zoning formula for the party, ahead its national convention slated for June 13 and 14 in Abuja.

The party’s constitution, it was learnt, did not support zoning arrangement, an arrangement adopted by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

There has been politicking and horse trading in the party ahead of the convention, which is solely to elect the party executive members for the first time since the emergence of coalition of opposition parties fusing to become APC.

The zoning formula agreed upon by the national caucus alloted the positions of national chairman, deputy national secretary and the deputy national legal adviser to the South-South.

The positions of the deputy national chairman, national financial secretary and the national legal adviser were zoned to the South-West.

National organising secretary, national auditor, deputy financial secretary and the deputy women leader were zoned to the South-East.

Other positions like the national publicity secretary, national women leader, deputy treasurer and deputy welfare secretary was zoned to the North-Central.

According to the party caucus, North East will produce the national secretary, national youth leader and the deputy national auditor.

North West is to produce deputy national chairman, welfare secretary, national treasurer and the deputy national organising secretary.

Each of the six geopolitical zones will produce one zonal national vice chairman, one zonal women leader, one zonal youth leader and one ex-officio.

The national caucus meeting had in attendance former head of state, General Muhammad Buhari; Senator Bola Tinubu; interim national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande; Alhaji Kawu Baraje; Senator Ali Modu Sherrif, former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; Aminu Bello Masari, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Danjuma Goje and Senator.Abdullahi Adamu.

Others were Governors Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); Rochas Okorocha (Imo); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); Umar Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara); Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) and the deputy governor of Borno State.

Plot to halt APC convention uncovered

A last-minute judicial order may be secured to halt the national convention of APC, Nigerian Tribune has learnt.

It was gathered that those behind it wanted it to be a last-minute joker, which reportedly explained the decision to wait for about 24 hours to the convention before throwing up the joker.

The convention opens tomorrow.

However, those allegedly behind the plot were said not to be disgruntled members who lost out in the state congresses.

It was gathered that the original brains behind the move belonged to a major caucus in the party, which may be heading for serious routing at the convention.

The caucus, considered to be a heavyweight until recently, was said to have resorted to using the judiciary to halt the convention, after permutations showed that candidates being backed by it for top national offices would be worsted by the emerging power centres in the party.

The resort to judicial intervention was seen as the only opportunity of legally delaying what was considered a doomsday, after horse-trading across board to rally the support of other tendencies and cleavages failed to yield the desired result.

The ex parte application can only be heard today if the move must materialise.

When contacted, the interim national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said there was nothing anyone could do to stop anyone from going to court.