ACF shuns PDP debate on rotational presidency
AS preparation for the national convention of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) scheduled for this weekend heightens, there are indications that it may jettison its zoning arrangement, and allow a free-for-all contest.
This follows the reported decision of the party’s National Caucus to zone its chairmanship to the South.
Two South-West and South-South zones of the party had, in separate communiqués in June, this year, adopted the candidature of the erstwhile head of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Harry Ayoade Akande, as the party’s next chairman.
Chief Don Etiebet from the South-South had served a five-year tenure as the chairman.
The out-going Chairman, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke from Anambra State, is serving the slot of the South-East.
Akande is from the South-West that is yet to hold the office.
However, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) chieftains have said the elders in the North will not join the train of those who may want to use the contentious issue of zoning to destabilise the nation.
They equally dissociated themselves from the on-going debate on zoning within the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
And, Governor Ibrahim Shekarau has expressed interest to vie for the presidency of Nigeria in the forthcoming 2011 polls.
Shekarau, who spoke to reporters at the Kano Government House however remarked that the bid, which would be made formal on August 5, this year, is not a do-or-die affair.
The governor ruled out the possibility of contending with former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida who is rumoured to be plotting to move into the ANPP if the PDP supports President Goodluck Jonathan’s purported bid to contest the 2011 polls.
The governor said there was no way Babangida can stand on his way because he would not satisfy the provision of the ANPP’s constitution (Article 9, Section 9 sub-sections 3, 4) that stipulates that anybody vying for the position of the presidency on the platform of the party must have been a member for not less than 12 months.
But some notable leaders of the ACF including the former Minister of Mines and Steel and chairman of the Political Committee of the Northern Socio-Cultural Group, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Gusau, said that the forum must not shy away from any political development that may undermine the interest of the North.
The Guardian source yesterday in Abuja disclosed that the caucus of the party which met on Tuesday night actually zoned the chairmanship position to the South, but it was not clear, which geopolitical zone of the south it was zoned to.
The decision, it was learnt, was influenced by a serving governor and a former governor of the party, now a senator.
An influential governor of the party was, however, not invited to the meeting.
The chairman of the sub-committee of the Convention Committee, Chief Kunle Ogunade in a telephone conversation, confirmed to The Guardian yesterday that the party’s position had been zoned to the South.
“It was rumoured initially that the position had been zoned to the South, but there was serious apprehension when it was being rumoured that it has been zoned to the South-East. That has been adjusted.
What is happening now is that all the aspirants will have to go to the field,” he said. FULL STORY
Source: Guardian
AS preparation for the national convention of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) scheduled for this weekend heightens, there are indications that it may jettison its zoning arrangement, and allow a free-for-all contest.
This follows the reported decision of the party’s National Caucus to zone its chairmanship to the South.
Two South-West and South-South zones of the party had, in separate communiqués in June, this year, adopted the candidature of the erstwhile head of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Harry Ayoade Akande, as the party’s next chairman.
Chief Don Etiebet from the South-South had served a five-year tenure as the chairman.
The out-going Chairman, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke from Anambra State, is serving the slot of the South-East.
Akande is from the South-West that is yet to hold the office.
However, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) chieftains have said the elders in the North will not join the train of those who may want to use the contentious issue of zoning to destabilise the nation.
They equally dissociated themselves from the on-going debate on zoning within the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Shekarau, who spoke to reporters at the Kano Government House however remarked that the bid, which would be made formal on August 5, this year, is not a do-or-die affair.
The governor ruled out the possibility of contending with former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida who is rumoured to be plotting to move into the ANPP if the PDP supports President Goodluck Jonathan’s purported bid to contest the 2011 polls.
The governor said there was no way Babangida can stand on his way because he would not satisfy the provision of the ANPP’s constitution (Article 9, Section 9 sub-sections 3, 4) that stipulates that anybody vying for the position of the presidency on the platform of the party must have been a member for not less than 12 months.
But some notable leaders of the ACF including the former Minister of Mines and Steel and chairman of the Political Committee of the Northern Socio-Cultural Group, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Gusau, said that the forum must not shy away from any political development that may undermine the interest of the North.
The Guardian source yesterday in Abuja disclosed that the caucus of the party which met on Tuesday night actually zoned the chairmanship position to the South, but it was not clear, which geopolitical zone of the south it was zoned to.
The decision, it was learnt, was influenced by a serving governor and a former governor of the party, now a senator.
An influential governor of the party was, however, not invited to the meeting.
The chairman of the sub-committee of the Convention Committee, Chief Kunle Ogunade in a telephone conversation, confirmed to The Guardian yesterday that the party’s position had been zoned to the South.
“It was rumoured initially that the position had been zoned to the South, but there was serious apprehension when it was being rumoured that it has been zoned to the South-East. That has been adjusted.
What is happening now is that all the aspirants will have to go to the field,” he said. FULL STORY
Source: Guardian
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