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Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants - Politics - Nairaland

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Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by bolaayenimo: 7:48am On Jan 07, 2021
The ruling All Progressives Con­gress (APC) on Wednesday said all eligible aspirants from the Northern part of the country will not be barred from participating in the party’s presidential primaries scheduled for 2022 even if the ticket is zoned to the South.

There has been raging controver­sy in the party over zoning formula following attempts by some power blocs to ensure that the presiden­cy remained in the North in 2023 after the completion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure in 2023.

Leading party chieftains, which include Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi; his Works and Housing counterpart, Baba­tunde Fashola (SAN); Are­mo Olusegun Osoba, former Ogun State governor; former Zamfara State governor, Sen­ator Sani Yerima and Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, represent­ing Kano Central, have started taking position on the matter.

While Amaechi backed Fashola who had earlier said the party had a gentleman’s agreement on zoning, and urged APC to respect the zon­ing agreement, Shekarau said rotational presidency is alien to the party as it is not in the APC constitution. On his part, Yerima said the APC had no pre-merger agreement to rotate the presi­dency between the North and the South.

Osoba on Tuesday said there was a gentleman’s agreement during the 2013 merger talks that the presi­dency would rotate between the North and the South.

Even though President Buhari is yet to speak on the controversy, his nephew Mamman Daura in an inter­view had said Nigeria should consider competence and merit in the choice of the next president instead of zoning.

Even though many Nigeri­ans said Daura spoke the pres­ident’s mind, the presidency distanced itself from Daura’s position, saying his views do not represent the position of President Buhari or that of his administration.

However, speaking with Daily Independent on Wednes­day, a member of the APC National Caretaker Commit­tee, said though the party is yet to take a position on the issue, the body language of many leaders of the party is that “it will be fair to zone it to the South in the spirit of justice, fairness and equity”.

He said even if the party’s ticket is zoned to the South, eligible aspirants from the Northern part of the country who feel they have what it takes to win the election will not be barred from participat­ing in the primaries.

According to him, doing so will amount to violating the constitution which does not recognise zoning in the choice of elective offices.

“The general belief is that the APC constitution does not provide for premeditated exclusion of candidates from elections and that is why many of the stakeholders are talking about a gentleman’s agreement which is not in black or white.

“From what we have seen, the issue is already becoming a serious controversy and will be much more serious in the coming days. Some stakehold­ers have boldly come out to take their stand while others have written to us to handle the issue with utmost care so as not to cause an implosion in the party, which the oppo­sition is lying in wait to take advantage of.

“But one thing is certain, let’s assume the ticket is zoned to the South today, does that mean any Northern aspirant who feels he is qualified and meets all the requirements will be barred from contest­ing? The answer is no. Even if it is zoned, it will be an open contest for all as long as you meet all the criteria laid down by the party and INEC”.

Speaking on the zoning controversy, Prince Tony Momoh, a former Minister of Information and one of the party’s national leaders, said it will be ill-advised for the APC to consider the North again for the ticket in 2023 after President Buhari’s tenure.

He said, “You don’t need an agreement about power rotation. In a presidential system, when you have one person to be the president, it is inevitable that if he comes from one area, his successor will come from another area. It is not a question of gentle­man’s agreement. That is understood. If you don’t want power rotation, then you go to parliamentary system.

“If someone in the North has been president, the next time, someone from the South has to be considered to be president. The same party will be ill-advised to say they want to pick another person from the North. However, it is not that if they zoned the ticket to a particular zone, others will be stopped from contesting.”

He added that while all qualified aspirants from all parts of the country are free to contest, only the person who has the highest number of delegate votes will emerge as the presidential candidate.

Momoh, who cited the example of the APC prima­ry in December 2014, said even though the APC zoned its ticket to the North, other presidential aspirants from the South such as Rochas Okorocha and the late Sam Nda-Isaiah contested the pri­maries.

He said, “It is not a ques­tion of being surprised or not. It is a question of some­one who has clout and sup­port contesting and emerging as the presidential candidate. There is no way anybody who doesn’t have any support es­pecially from delegates all over the country will come out and say he wants to be president.

“In other words, many people who say they want to be president and don’t have the support of the delegates will be wasting their time. It is the person who has the support of the delegates, no matter where he comes from that will be the person flying the party’s flag. That is the process in every political party, not just in APC.

“For instance, in the APC during the presidential pri­mary in December 2014, peo­ple contested from the South- East, North and all over the country. But the fact is that we wanted Buhari to become our presidential candidate and those who have that com­mitment organised the dele­gates for Buhari to emerge. It wasn’t all the Northern del­egates who voted for Buhari then. Many of the delegates from Kano voted for Kwank­waso, others voted for Atiku, Okorocha, Nda Isaiah and others.

“Anybody can come from anywhere as long as you have the votes of the delegates, that is what will get you the ticket. So, nobody should think of zoning and then go and sit down and expect that you will be the presidential candidate. It doesn’t happen that way”, he said.

https://www.independent.ng/why-apc-presidential-primary-will-be-open-to-all-aspirants/

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Harrynight(m): 7:49am On Jan 07, 2021
shocked


Apc presidential ticked will be zoned to the South but All eligible and qualified candidate from the North can contest the primary! grin grin

26 Likes 4 Shares

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Elvictor: 7:50am On Jan 07, 2021
grin
yoruba ronu

15 Likes 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by popsy2(m): 7:51am On Jan 07, 2021
Ok
Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by hisexcellency34: 7:55am On Jan 07, 2021
Way to go. All qualified aspirants who can buy nomination form should contest

5 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Voice234: 8:21am On Jan 07, 2021
At the end of the day it’s a merry go round, same old crooks. We as a people keep on applying the same method and expecting different results.

We need to make critical decisions, devoid of sentiments and nepotism for the good of generation unborn (because it’s becoming obvious we don’t care about ourselves).

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by cktheluckyman: 8:28am On Jan 07, 2021
There is no legal way of shutting down aspiranst from the North.They will go to court and win.The so-called gentleman agreement is not enforceable.

20 Likes 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by seunmsg(m): 8:37am On Jan 07, 2021
cktheluckyman:
There is no legal way of shutting down aspiranst from the North.They will go to court and win.The so-called gentleman agreement is not enforceable.

It will be enforced and a southerner will fly the party’s ticket. In 2015 when the ticket was zoned to the north, Okorocha from the south was allowed to contest but at the end of the day, a northerner emerged.

Apart from the nonsense that PDP did in 2015 by printing only one presidential nomination form for Jonathan and illegally denying others the right to contest for the ticket, zoning has never been used to stop others from contesting. They would contest but the candidate would still emerge from the region the ticket is zoned to.

12 Likes 3 Shares

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by cktheluckyman: 8:40am On Jan 07, 2021
seunmsg:


It will be enforced and a southerner will fly the party’s ticket. In 2015 when the ticket was zoned to the north, Okorocha from the south was allowed to contest but at the end of the day, a northerner emerged.

Apart from the nonsense that PDP did in 2015 by printing only one presidential nomination form for Jonathan and illegally denying others the right to contest for the ticket, zoning has never been used to stopped others from contesting. They will contest but the candidate will still emerge from the region the ticket is zoned to.
The candidate the majority of the party wants will be elected and not necessarily from the region it is zoned to.Tinubu only has control on some of the SW delegates(Ekiti not even included)

BTW I dont even see zoning work.The contest will eventually be thrown to all.

16 Likes 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Gondonu: 8:44am On Jan 07, 2021
This is another political coup loading.This may throw up another animal in crase man skin for this nation again The northerners dont just mean to relinquish political power.Restructure this country they said no.

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Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by seunmsg(m): 8:45am On Jan 07, 2021
cktheluckyman:

The candidate the majority of the party wants will be elected and not necessarily from the region it is zoned to.Tinubu only has control on some of the SW delegates(Ekiti not even included)

BTW I dont even see zoning work.The contest will eventually be thrown to all.

Nobody is talking about Tinubu or the south west here my friend. APC ticket will be zoned to the south and a southerner will emerge as the party’s candidate whether you like it or not. Period!

18 Likes 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Bodexman(m): 8:46am On Jan 07, 2021
It is the turn of the south. The north should go and sit down somewhere.
Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Nobody: 8:46am On Jan 07, 2021
The ticket should be given to only Governor Dave Umahi (President) and Governor El-rufai (Vice President)..

OTHERWISE, our beloved father, President Muhammadu Buhari should go for 3rd term to consolidate his achievements. But if President Buhari rejects the offer, then let God Almighty rule over us. No human should be allowed anywhere near Aso Rock!

God bless Nigeria.

3 Likes 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Bodexman(m): 8:51am On Jan 07, 2021
cktheluckyman:

The candidate the majority of the party wants will be elected and not necessarily from the region it is zoned to.Tinubu only has control on some of the SW delegates(Ekiti not even included)

BTW I dont even see zoning work.The contest will eventually be thrown to all.

Pls, leave Tinubu out of this. He's not the only southerner jostling for this same position. In fact, he hasn't officially declared his interest in the race.

Let others from the eastern part who have the balls come out and declare their interest.

Only if they have the balls to challenge the so called Hausa-Fulani oligarchy in the APC

8 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Vistra40: 9:05am On Jan 07, 2021
SilverNorGold:
The ticket should be given to only Governor Dave Umahi (President) and Governor El-rufai (Vice President)..

OTHERWISE, our beloved father, President Muhammadu Buhari should go for 3rd term to consolidate his achievements. But if President Buhari rejects the offer, then let God Almighty rule over us. No human should be allowed anywhere near Aso Rock!

God bless Nigeria.


It seems you don’t want that ticket to fly. El rufai’s presence in that ticket will make it unattractive

3 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Vistra40: 9:07am On Jan 07, 2021
seunmsg:


It will be enforced and a southerner will fly the party’s ticket. In 2015 when the ticket was zoned to the north, Okorocha from the south was allowed to contest but at the end of the day, a northerner emerged.

Apart from the nonsense that PDP did in 2015 by printing only one presidential nomination form for Jonathan and illegally denying others the right to contest for the ticket, zoning has never been used to stop others from contesting. They would contest but the candidate would still emerge from the region the ticket is zoned to.

Who contested against PMB in the primaries in 2019?

3 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by johnmartus(m): 9:07am On Jan 07, 2021
Fulani or hausa even nupe or any tribe that seems have northern resemblance will never smell presidential seat till 2030.Not even Yoruba kwara or Kogi.

Whether pdp like or not they can give their presidential ticket to Sultan of sokoto...And for the APC all this argument is just like mere academic exercise.

A Yoruba man from one of the six state in southwest will emerge Nigeria president.

8 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Nobody: 9:09am On Jan 07, 2021
Vistra40:


It seems you don’t want that ticket to fly. El rufai’s presence in that ticket will make it unattractive

My brother, El-rufai is currently the most popular and loved governor in the North. We will vote him massively. Any party that fields him will enjoy northern votes..

God bless Nigeria.

1 Like 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by cktheluckyman: 9:10am On Jan 07, 2021
Bodexman:


Pls, leave Tinubu out of this. He's not the only southerner jostling for this same position. In fact, he hasn't officially declared his interest in the race.

Let others from the eastern part who have the balls come out and declare their interest.

Only if they have the balls to challenge the so called Hausa-Fulani oligarchy in the APC
Umahi has already declared his intention

1 Like

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by cktheluckyman: 9:10am On Jan 07, 2021
seunmsg:


Nobody is talking about Tinubu or the south west here my friend. APC ticket will be zoned to the south and a southerner will emerge as the party’s candidate whether you like it or not. Period!

and you will be the one to enforce it? Talk is cheap

3 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Vistra40: 9:12am On Jan 07, 2021
SilverNorGold:


My brother, El-rufai is currently the most popular and loved governor in the North. We will vote him massively. Any party that fields him will enjoy northern votes..

God bless Nigeria.

El rufai May have performed in certain areas but I prefer Zulum to him. El rufai is too controversial in my opinion

6 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Nobody: 9:20am On Jan 07, 2021
Vistra40:


El rufai May have performed in certain areas but I prefer Zulum to him. El rufai is too controversial in my opinion

Lol, my beloved brother.. Controversial kwa.. Who's not? Even pastors are! Even Jesus Christ was, lol!

Zulum is also good, but he's too soft. He's not really popular outside Borno.. We need a no-nonsense leader like El-rufai. He's good, intelligent, popular, powerful, loved, decent, smart and patriotic... He's even my choice for President, but because of zoning and equity to the South East region, that's why we are even settling for VP.. Otherwise, my brother, na President!

God bless Governor El-rufai.
God bless Governor Dave Umahi.
God bless President Muhammadu Buhari.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by seunmsg(m): 9:29am On Jan 07, 2021
Vistra40:


Who contested against PMB in the primaries in 2019?

Nobody showed interest.

1 Like

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by IamAtikulate: 9:31am On Jan 07, 2021
seunmsg:


Nobody is talking about Tinubu or the south west here my friend. APC ticket will be zoned to the south and a southerner will emerge as the party’s candidate whether you like it or not. Period!
Umahi!!!

We move.
Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by seunmsg(m): 9:34am On Jan 07, 2021
IamAtikulate:

Umahi!!!

We move.

Tinubu, Osinbajo, Ngige, Okorocha, Umahi etc are all qualified to contest if interested. I will support him or any other southerner that wins the party primary.

My point is very clear, El-Rufai or any interested northerner won’t fly APC’s ticket and Atiku won’t win the 2023 presidential election even if he emerged as PDP candidate.

4 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by IamAtikulate: 9:34am On Jan 07, 2021
Vistra40:


It seems you don’t want that ticket to fly. El rufai’s presence in that ticket will make it unattractive
Unattractive to the South but attractive to the North- highest voting bloc

2 Likes 1 Share

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by IamAtikulate: 9:36am On Jan 07, 2021
johnmartus:
Fulani or hausa even nupe or any tribe that seems have northern resemblance will never smell presidential seat till 2030.Not even Yoruba kwara or Kogi.

Whether pdp like or not they can give their presidential ticket to Sultan of sokoto...And for the APC all this argument is just like mere academic exercise.

A Yoruba man from one of the six state in southwest will emerge Nigeria president.
A Yoruba man will emerge president of Yoruba People Town Union.

3 Likes

Re: Zoning Controversy: Why APC Presidential Primary Will Be Open To All Aspirants by Baawaa(m): 9:39am On Jan 07, 2021
“If someone in the North has been president, the next time, someone from the South has to be considered to be president. The same party will be ill-advised to say they want to pick another person from the North.
North should forget 2023,South/West will do the needful to get it

2 Likes 1 Share

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