APC Governors Back New Convention Date, Adopt Zoning

 

Governors of the All Progressives Congress on Tuesday said they were in support of the party’s new date for its National Convention.

Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, revealed this after the Governors met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja.

The Governors also agreed on a fair zoning formula for all geopolitical zones.

The APC on Monday had postponed its National Convention to March 26. It was earlier billed for February 26.

The Governors had met on Monday evening but declined to comment on the postponed convention at a press briefing later.

“Until we finish the meeting with Mr. President, we will rather not comment on any timetable or logistics,” Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, said.

Delayed Convention

The APC’s delay in conducting a national convention may not be unrelated to internal party wrangling and factions in several states.

The party leadership had been quiet about the processes leading up to the convention and reasons why such processes have failed to happen.

Dates of purchase and submission of forms by aspirants and their screening also elapsed without any formal communication by the party

The APC Governors last week had been slated to meet President Muhammadu Buhari over party issues, but the meeting couldn’t hold as the president had to travel to Belgium on an official assignment.

‘United Governors’

“There were differences among [APC] Governors over timing of the Convention,” Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna said after Tuesday’s meeting, according to a series of tweets by presidential aide Tolu Ogunlesi. “This is what the media called ‘divided governors’.

“There’s no way you can have 22 Governors agreeing on every issue. You can have differences, but to call it division is taking it too far.

But after our meeting last night and our briefing with PMB today, we are all on the same page. We have agreed on a simple, equitable and fair zoning formula for all geopolitical zones. By God’s grace by March 26 we will hold the APC national convention.

“Let there be no doubt that the Progressive Governors are United in our resolve to ensure that the Peoples Destruction Party doesn’t come back to power.”