…Governors divided
…Youths want Buhari’s successor aged between 40-50
There is growing confusion within the ruling All Progressives Congress APC over the purported decision of Governors of the party to zone the national chairmanship to the North Central ahead of the February 26 national convention.
A section of the media had on Wednesday quoted insider sources as saying the governors also agreed to zone the office of the national secretary to the South East.
Multiple party sources however told Vanguard on Wednesday that the governors never concluded on the issue of zoning.
“Yes, they (Governors) met but they could not resolve on the zoning. Although many who spoke were in support of zoning the chairmanship position to North Central, but it was not concluded yet.
“It is after they have convinced the southern Governors and they have accepted it that we can say the Progressive Governors’ Forum PGF has zoned the position. If anyone tells you anything otherwise, let him mention the names of the Governors in that meeting and also mention whoever addressed the press. In such meetings, the Chairman of the PGF would address the press and open up on the decision of his forum. But for now, nothing like that”, a close source at the PGF hinted.
Also, a party source who prefers to be anonymous, said, though the PGF has the right to suggest to the committee or proffer advice, just like any other group or organ in the party, but that the Governors had not written to the Committee on zoning.
“I understand their Tuesday’s meeting on zoning ended in deadlock, so don’t let anyone deceive you. Come to think of it, why would they zone a position to North Central and sat there immediately and picked only one aspirant? Is Akume the only aspirant from North Central? Why would they ask those from the South to go home and meet with aspirants and bring candidates for Deputy National Chairman and Secretary, but in the case of chairmanship, they said they have picked a particular person?
“I don’t believe such cock and bull story and I think nobody would even believe it. We have channels of communication at our party. APC is a ruling party that has everything. The Progressive Governors that I know, are very experienced and principled. They would not want to send such a sensitive message to the CECPC via pages of newspapers.
“They have the right, like any other organs of the party, to advise the planning committee, but nothing like that has happened. We are working diligently to see that the convention holds and with a credible outing too”, the source added.
Edwin Ochogwu, a House of Assembly aspirant from Benue State, on his part said, “the PGF is divided into three to four camps and the news could be the latest mischief by one of the groups to deceive other members of the PGF and the general public”.
Younger successor
Meanwhile, youths of the party have asked the APC leadership to follow the advice of President Buhari for youth mainstreaming in its affairs.
They also asked the party and the president to support a younger person as his successor.
APC North-Central Zonal Youth Leader, Comrade Terver Aginde disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a one-day sensitization and capacity building retreat on active and meaningful participation in leadership
He said; “I am happy that Nigerian youths, about three of them, are coming out to contest for positions as high as national chairmanship of the party. We are making progress with that and we will queue behind them to see if we can achieve the feat.
“We are also calling on the youths to succeed President Buhari. We will even prefer a youth within the age range of between 40 to 50 to succeed Buhari. And one of the reasons I appreciate President Buhari is that he has made politics very unattractive and uninteresting to some people like previously because he has ensured that money is not in circulation too much for such people. So, with or without money, we can achieve taking over the leadership of this country if we put ourselves together”.
Aginde said the main aim of the meeting was for APC youths to come together and build strategic methods, position themselves in preparation to take up leadership of the country.
“There is no other time than now, fortunately, we have gotten the support of our dear President to participate, contest for leadership positions, both at the party level and as well as contesting for all leadership positions, ranging from Presidency, Governor, Senate, House of Reps and State House Assembly positions.
“To achieve these, we must discuss, strategize and unite to take over our rightful positions in leadership of our dear country. My Distinguish comrades, our party under the leadership of H E Mai Mala Buni has recorded a lot of progress but more needed to be done, and what is needed to be done now is rest on the shoulders of the youth and women”, he stated.