The Progressives Governors Forum, on Wednesday, in Abuja said that although the All Progressives Congress has zoned its national chairmanship to the North-Central, it would accommodate aspirants from other zones contesting the top seat.
This is as it emphasised that its most ideal mode of choosing its next chairman is through consensus. Therefore, it would support whoever the President chooses.
The PGF Chairman, Governor Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi State, said this shortly after the governors met the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the Presidential Villa.
When the APC threw its doors open to chairmanship aspirants weeks ago, it had already zoned top offices such as the national chairman and national secretary to the North-Central and South-West respectively.
However, The PUNCH had reported that former Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari, a North-West candidate, purchased the N20m form regardless.
Responding to a question in this regard, Bagudu said the APC, being a democratic party, still respects the choice of stakeholders who wish to throw their hat in the ring for positions not zoned to their regions.
He explained: “Our party is a democratic party. We will always urge consensus, respect for the decisions of the party, because the distribution of political party offices here has been approved by the highest organ of the party, which is the National Caretaker Committee, because they’re acting in their capacity as the National Executive Committee of the party.
“But where people still choose to go against the grain, the party constitution allows them because we wouldn’t do anything undemocratic. Mr President has always urged consensus for all positions because consensus is in accordance with democratic tenets.”
The Kebbi Governor, however, noted that the PGF would support a process that would ensure the emergence of new leaders without the need for open contests.
Asked about the chairmanship tussle which happened while the President was away for a medical check-up in London two weeks ago, Bagudu noted that the governors are now united.
“Some of you may recall that last week, there was a letter that was widely circulated in the media addressed to me as the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, and copied to a number of others, including the chairman of the caretaker committee, the acting chairman of the caretaker committee, and indeed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“So that letter led to a series of actions, including meetings between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, Acting Chairman Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State, as he was then, and myself, where we all restated our commitment to working together to ensure that the convention takes place on March 26, 2022,” he said.
The Chairman noted that although the governors may differ on various issues, on the principle of ensuring the emergence of credible leaders in the party, they remain united.
He added “…we are united and to that extent, we will support any process that will lead to consensus and the emergence of leaders without the need for an election. Naturally, there will be hiccups, but we have overcome them. And we are a human organisation that is bound sometimes to generate emotions and anxieties. But we are united and unanimous.”
In attendance were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, and 16 governors of Kebbi, Plateau, Kogi, Yobe, Ogun, Kaduna, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Imo, Niger, Jigawa, Kwara, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Borno, and Osun States.
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