The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) appears to be uncertain on where it would zone its presidential ticket in the next general elections.
This is despite the fact that the party has begun selling nomination forms and hopefuls have purchased them.
Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), acknowledged it when he claimed the zone has not yet decided on a presidential candidate for the 2023 election.
2023 Elections: APC Chairman, Adamu Reveals Order He Got From Buhari
This comes as the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), chaired by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, has launched new efforts to encourage major political parties to open their ballot boxes to all parts of the nation, claiming that the “power shift arrangement” is “dead and buried.”
After presenting the Ekiti APC gubernatorial candidate, Abiodun Oyebanji, to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday, Adamu informed a State House correspondent that the choice on which section of the nation should produce the governing party candidate was beyond him.
While noting that the APC has yet to make a decision, he stated that “I am today blessed to be the party’s chairman.” The gathering is bigger than I am. The party hasn’t made a decision yet, and I can’t predict what it will be.”
Remember that the ruling party’s national offices were changed between the North and the South, resulting in Adamu from the North Central becoming the national chairman.
LATEST: APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, Deputy Resign From Senate
Even though the APC has not decided on zoning the presidential ticket, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State had remarked just before the party’s previous national convention that the shifting of national offices was an indicator of where its presidential candidate will emerge from.
Adamu also stated that the party is unconcerned about the high cost of nomination forms for candidates seeking positions in the party.
He said that the APC was determined to stop political parties with little prospect of winning elections from sponsoring individuals to act as spoilers.
According to him, the fee had to be high since the government needed to gather enough money to effectively prosecute the next elections.
“On the issue of cost. Yeah, I’ve been listening, with rapt attention, to the hues and cries from our lovers and from our adversaries. We have no regrets whatsoever. We did some homework, we know what it takes to go through primaries, go through the presidential campaign, go through the election for the President. We know what it takes.
Electoral Act: Gbajabiamila Laments What Political Ambition of Amechi, Ngige, Malami Will Cost APC
“We also do know that there are citizens who are qualified to contests, but who are not serious contenders, who will just want to take anything cheaply by the roadside, and assert what they call their rights and create problems for our party.
“We’re also aware that some parties that have no chance whatsoever to win the presidential election in Nigeria, will sponsor people into parties that have prospects for winning the election, to create problems for us, to divert our attention, whichever party is involved in that.
“Over and above that, yes, we are the ruling party. Yes, we need to set examples in what we do, but I ask you, I don’t know which part of the country you come from, If God forbid, your traditional ruler dies today, contestants to that office will go for more than N100 million, it’s no news.
“When I contested for the Senate, all I paid was just a token; N5 million, N10 million, including the expression. When my colleague wanted to be chairman of the party, in the days of Adams Oshimhole, it took him N500,000. Today, for me, just as an example, to contest the national chairman of our party, had to pay N20 million to contest.
“Alright, and even the enormity of work that has to be done, and this work will be done with the money. We don’t want to continue going begging.
Buhari’s Candidate, Abdullahi Adamu Set To Emerge APC National Chairman
“So, I want to say that we’re trying to mobilize sufficient funds to support our efforts to win the election. Some protests may be well-founded, I have no quarrel with that, but the propensity of this, that people just assume ‘it’s the ruling party, is a quick… in our democracy.
“I will not quarrel with that, every one of us has the right to express himself, and I’m in full support of these obligations, but we wear the shoes for our party and we know where it pinches us the most one” he stated.
On the alleged recalcitrance by some cabinet members to resign to enable them face their political ambition, Adamu wrote it off as a legal matter which he would not comment on for now.
His words, “thank you very much for your question. Our luck on this end is that I happen to be a lawyer and the issue you are raising is in court right now. So, it would amount to subjudice for me to discuss it at all”.
Follow us on Facebook
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.