The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has reviewed its primary election schedule, said the claim that it had zoned its presidential ticket to any part of the country is false, the decision was made at a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee, led by Abdullahi Adamu, yesterday.
The APC hierarchy has rejected calls to zone its presidential ticket to the South, citing the fact that the current president, Muhammadu Buhari, is from the North, as is the National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, but the opinion to throw the ticket open to all the six geo-political zones of the country, seems to be gaining the upper hand.
There are 23 presidential candidates running for the APC ticket, nineteen are from the South, while four are from the North, eight of the Southern aspirants are from the South-East, which has the fewest delegates; seven are from the South-West; and four are from the South-South, while North-West has two, whereas North-East and North-Central each have one in the north.
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Senator Ajayi Borrofice, Mr. Dimeji Bankole, Dr Tunde Bakare, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and Senator Ibikunle Amosun are the APC candidates from the South-West.
Chief Emeka Nwajiuba, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Engr Dave Umahi, Senator Ken Nnamani, Mr. Nicholas Nwagbo, Mr. Ikeobasi Mokelu, and Mrs. Uju Ohanenye are all from the South-East.
Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Ben Ayade, and Mr. Tein Jack-Rich are the South-South candidates.
Alhaji Yahaya Bello (North-Central), Senate President Ahmad Lawan (North-East), Mohammed Badaru (North-West), and Ahmed Yerima (North-West) are the candidates from the North (North-West).
Asked if the APC has zoned the presidential ticket, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr, Felix Morka, said: “There is no such decision made by the National Working Committee.”
