Fact Check: Has the APC Zoned Its Chairmanship Position to the North Central?

As the National Convention of the All Progressive Congress draws nearer, there have been speculations on zoning offices to zones in the country. The position of chairman of the party has consequently generated tension amongst party stakeholders on the zone that should produce the party’s chairmanship.

This medium gathered that the majority of those in support for the chairmanship slot to the North Central hinged their decision on the fact that should the chairman of the party come from the north-central zone, it would automatically clear the way for some vested interest that seeks to control the party machinery and ensure that their preferred candidate emerges as the presidential candidate of the party.

It was also gathered that some governors in the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), an assemblage of governors under the platform of the APC, are behind the plot to ensure that one of them, a former governor emerges as the chairman of the party in a bid to advance their interest.

According to impeccable sources within the party who confided to this medium on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak on the matter, stated that the party had not zoned the chairmanship position to any part of the country, contrary to what has been recently speculated in the media.

He stated that “The APC Governors see themselves are the dominant force in the party, and they have been mounting pressure to ensure that they impose their will on the party. This is not just selfish; it is unbecoming of these governors.”

He further added that at the recently held Progressive Governors Forum meeting, there was no consensus regarding zoning of the chairmanship of the party to the north-central.

“Isn’t it curious that the media is flooded with news about the APC zoning the chairmanship position to the north-central? I can tell you that at the meeting of the governors held yesterday, the issue of zoning the party’s chairmanship did not occur. It is the imagination of some of the governors who have insisted that the party must zone the position to the north-central.”

“That the governors insisting that the national chairman should go to the North Central, while the South should produce the deputy national chairman and the national secretary at the forthcoming national convention are a figment of their imagination. I can confidently tell you that there is no such arrangement at the party. I believe that some governors are bent on causing disaffection in the party by their actions.”
According to sources at the governors meeting, it was revealed that no such arrangement or agreement was reached.

“It is laughable and also a puerile attempt by some governors to misinform the members of the general public in this regard. I was at the meeting, and there was no mention of zoning the party’s chairmanship to the north-central. I am bemused if you ask me.”

“We all know where the news originated from, and it would be in the best interest of party members and stakeholders to disregard the news. It is merely an ego drive that defeats any form of logic. I think these governors must desist from their ignoble enterprise. If they have scores to settle with some aspirants, it should be done at a personal level and not using the party structure in this regard.”

Another source who was privy to the deliberations at the meeting also confided in this medium that some governors who were dissatisfied that they could not impose their stance on the zoning of the chairmanship slot to the north-central were behind the news making the rounds.

“It is indeed laughable because they already have their preferred candidate for the position of chairman. They attempted to make a cause, but it didn’t see the light of the day. I was at the meeting when one of the governors agitating for the zoning of the chairmanship slot to the north-central almost stormed out of the meeting in protest. But he was prevailed upon by a fellow governor to jettison the idea.”

“You could tell that there was palpable frustration and so much so that they didn’t make any meaningful contribution till the meeting ended. The question now is, where was the agreement reached? Maybe in their bedroom,” he quipped.

Verdict: This medium has been able to verify that at the meeting of the Progressive Governors Forum, there was no consensus on zoning the chairmanship position to the North Central. The news report is fake.