APC Convention: Al-Makura, Akume, Yuguda, three others jostle for National Chairmanship seat

BY HASSAN MUAZ

Six aspirants, all from the North Central, are now poised for a tight race for the national chairmanship of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the tempo of the party’s arrangement for the February 26 National convention heightens.

The convention has been scheduled for Eagle Square in Abuja, according to the party in its second letter in 48 hours to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the issue.

Locked in the contest, after governors elected on the platform of the party and other leaders appeared to have conceded the position to the zone, are: ex-Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa), Special Duties Minister George Akume (Benue) and a former Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Mallam Saliu Mustapha (Kwara).

The rest are Senator Sani Mohammed Musa (Niger), former Minister and ex-Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bawa Bwari (Niger) and Mohammed Etsu (Niger).

However, the governors and party leaders have not reached a consensus yet on who among the six aspirants will lead the APC during the 2023 elections.

It was learnt that the governors may recommend two of the aspirants to President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the leader of the party.

According to investigation, the North-Central was favoured with the chairmanship seat ahead of the North-West and North-East, having already produced three past Nigerian leaders who were in the saddle for more than 18 of its 62-year-old history.

While the North-West was ruled out because the current president is from there, the North-East leaders are said to be pushing for the office of the Vice President if power shifts to the South in 2023.

The North-East APC leaders claimed that the zone has had presence in the presidency twice including the tenure of the late Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the vice presidency of Atiku Abubakar from 1999 to 2007.

A governor, who is privy to the ongoing power intrigues in APC, said: “With the latest permutations in the party, the odds favour the North-Central for APC chairmanship.

Even if we are to cede the slot to the CPC Caucus of APC, the next chairman may emerge from the North-Central.

“I can tell you that all APC governors have almost resolved to give the opportunity to the North-Central. It is left to our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, to accept the zone to produce the next chairman.

“In fact, a governor in North-Central, who is aspiring to be a vice presidential candidate to a presidential aspirant from the south, does not want the national chairman from the zone or his state. He has been lobbying his fellow governors not to zone the APC chairmanship to North-Central.

“Also, the Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Yahaya Bello, who is a presidential aspirant, does not want the chairmanship office for North-Central because he believes it is not a good bargain for the zone.

“The North-West is ruled out and the North-East, which has not featured well in the nation’s political configuration, is seeking the ticket for the office of Vice President.

“Only Balewa and Atiku have held the offices of Prime Minister and Vice President from the North-East. That is why the zone does not want party chairmanship which Ambassador. Babagana Kingibe and Modu Ali Sheriff had occupied in the past.”

It was gathered that if Buhari and APC leaders finally consent to North-Central for the party chairmanship, some of those who will lose out include ex-Governor Abdul-Aziz Yari (Zamfara); ex-Governor Ali Modu-Sheriff (Borno); ex-Governor Isa Yuguda (Bauchi); Sunny Sylvester Monidafe (Adamawa) and Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi (Zamfara).

A party source said: “I think some of these aspirants from the North-East and the North-West have seen the handwriting on the wall. That is why they have not been seriously pushing their aspirations.

“It is only Sheriff that has erected bill boards everywhere and lobbying some APC leaders to give him a chance. But it is obvious he is not likely to get it.”

For the second time in 48 hours, the APC yesterday wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on its national convention to clear doubts on the venue.

The party named the Eagle Square in Abuja as convention venue on February 26th.

There had been anxiety on why APC was silent on the venue for the convention.

But the party in a February 4, 2022 letter by the Chairman of the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Governor Mai Mala Buni, clarified the grey area.

The letter, reads: “Follow up to our letter referenced APC/NHDQ/INEC/19/022/14 dated 2™ February, 2022 on the NOTICE FOR THE CONDUCT OF NATIONAL CONVENTION refers.

“This is to inform the Commission that the Eagles Square, Abuja is the venue of the National Convention.

“While hoping to receive your usual cooperation, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.”

The Nation.