The forum of the North-Central APC has called on to President Bola Tinubu and other party stakeholders to appoint the next national chairman of the party from the region.
Following the resignation of the former chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje on Friday, the region has urged the president to ensure fairness, justice, and equity and let the next chairman come from among them.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, asked the president to make the acting Chairman, Dalori convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee.
The region further cited that the resigned chairman did an amazing job during his time just as they urged for the NEC meeting to elect a substantive National Chairman from the region.
Zazzaga said; “It is on record that the North-Central APC Forum has long advocated for the party to honour the principles of the existing zoning arrangement, which allocated the position of National Chairman to the North-Central. We have argued that the region should be allowed to complete the tenure of former National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, even going to court to press our case.
“However, after the ratification of Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje’s appointment as National Chairman by the NEC in the overall interest of the party, we decided to suspend our agitation. This decision was influenced by the progress we observed in the party under Ganduje’s leadership, demonstrated by high-profile defections to the APC, including governors and members of the National Assembly.
“During Ganduje’s tenure as National Chairman, several governors, including those from Delta and Akwa Ibom states, defected to the APC. Additionally, numerous senators and members of the House of Representatives joined the party. High-profile opposition politicians also defected during his leadership.
“Now that Ganduje has decided to step aside, it is only fair and just for the party to finally allow the North-Central to produce the National Chairman, ensuring fairness, justice, and equity.”
Citing the immediate past chairman’s works, the statement continued;
“We appeal to President Bola Tinubu, whom we regard as a listening President, and other party stakeholders to support the emergence of a National Chairman from the North-Central. We also urge the Acting National Chairman to promptly convene an NEC meeting to elect a substantive National Chairman from the region.
“Ganduje’s resignation, though unfortunate, presents the party with a golden opportunity to address the injustices faced by the North-Central.”
While the statement included that the region is capable of leading the APC to victory in the 2027 election, they insisted that their electoral value cannot be underrated.
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The region further reminded the president that he and the APC got the third-highest number of votes in the 2023 presidential election from them trailing only the South-West and North-West.
Recall that, during the 2023 election, Tinubu got 1,760,993 votes (41.3%) in the North-Central, while Peter Obi of the Labour Party had 1,415,557 votes (33.2%), and Atiku Abubakar of the PDP got 1,025,178 votes (24.1%).
The Forum highlighted that the number of APC governors in the North-Central is more among the geopolitical zones.
Five out of the six North-Central states are governed by the APC including; Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger.
“We are not demanding the position of National Chairman as a mere entitlement. The North-Central has capable leaders who can ensure the APC’s success in the 2027 elections. Allowing the region to produce the National Chairman will not only rectify past injustices but also ensure that the party continues on its path of progress and strength. We urge party stakeholders to act promptly and decisively to ensure fairness,” the statement concluded.
