March 9, 2022

With the All Progressives Congress (APC) officially zoning the position of its national chairman to  North Central, ahead of the March 26 National Convention, President Muhammadu Buhari has effectively taken control of the party he leads.

Aso Rock sources told our reporter that Buhari had preferred a North Central Chairman to create a national balance in view of how the party will zone key positions in the primary with Buhari said to be on the side of those pushing for a Southern presidential candidate.

Despite repeated denials, former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu is said to be Buhari’s preferred candidate for the top job of APC chairman and may have informed the decision to zone the position to his North Central zone.

The latest arrangement has put Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the cold as he and his supporters in the party did not reckon with Adamu chairmanship.

“With the latest development except something unforeseen happens, Tinubu is out of the equation for Presidency. An Adamu Chairmanship will do the bidding of the Buhari group which is pushing for a younger southerner for the Presidency,” a top APC member told our reporter.

The APC had in a statement by Alhaji Salisu Na’inna Ɗanbatta, the party’s Director of Publicity on Wednesday in Abuja announced the zoning of positions.

Danbatta said the approval was given during the regular meeting of the APC Caretaker Committee on Tuesday after the recommendations of the party’s committee on zoning, headed by Gov. Abdulrahman  Abdulrazaq of Kwara.

He gave the breakdown of zoning as follows;

North Central: Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau.

1. National Chairman
2. National Vice Chairman (North Central)
3. Deputy National Secretary
4. Deputy National Legal Adviser
5. Deputy National Publicity Secretary
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organising Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special Leader (Persons with Disabilities – PWD)
11. National Ex – Officio Member

South South: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers.

1. National Vice Chairman (South South)
2. National Publicity Secretary
3. National Women Leader
4. Deputy National Treasurer
5. Deputy National Welfare Secretary
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organising Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special Leader (Persons with Disabilities – PWD)
11. National Ex – Officio Member

South West: : Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo States

1. National Secretary
2. National Vice Chairman (South West)
3. National Youth Leader
4. National Physically Challenged Leader
5. Deputy National Auditor
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organising Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special Leader (Persons with Disabilities – PWD)
11. National Ex – Officio Member

South East: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.

1. Deputy National Chairman (South)
2. National Vice Chairman (South East)
3. National Treasurer
4. National Welfare Secretary
5. Deputy National Organising Secretary
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organising Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special Leader (Persons with Disabilities – PWD)
11. National Ex – Officio Member

North East:Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.

1. Deputy National Chairman (North)
2. National Auditor
3. National Vice Chairman (North East)
4. Deputy National Financial Secretary
5. Deputy National Women Leader
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organisig Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special Leader (Persons with Disabilities – PWD)
11. National Ex – Officio Member

North West: Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

1. National Vice Chairman (North West)
2. National Legal Adviser
3. National Organising Secretary
4. National Financial Secretary
5. Deputy National Youth Leader
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organising Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special Leader (Persons with Disabilities – PWD)
11. National Ex-Officio Member

He said that the position of National Disabled Leader was zoned to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).