TWO former governors of Nasarawa State – Abdullahi Adamu and Tanko Al-Makura – are tipped to emerge as national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the party finally decided on the zoning formula for positions to be contested at it national convention scheduled for March 26.
The APC Caretaker/Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) released the zoning formula on March 9, ceding the position of national chairman to the North-Central.
Nasarawa is one of the North-Central states, alongside Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger and Plateau.
Adamu and Al-Makura are leading contenders in the chairmanship race and their ambition received a major boost with the zoning of the office to the North-Central.
Adamu served as Nasarawa State governor from 1999 to 2007 and currently represents Nasarawa West in the Senate.
Al-Makura was governor of Nasarawa State for two terms – from 2011 to 2019 – and like Adamu, is currently a Senator, representing Nasarawa South.
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Adamu’s chances appear to be stronger – recently there were reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had endorsed him as consensus candidate for the position of national chairman.
Most of the APC chairmanship aspirants have been campaigning since early 2021 but Adamu is a relative newcomer in the race as his name started making the rounds in 2022, after it was reported that Buhari had settled on him as consensus candidate.
However, APC governors and some major party stakeholders are opposing the alleged choice of Adamu as consensus candidate and are instead backing Al-Makura.
The potential clash between Buhari and the governors over the choice of national chairman is expected to be a highpoint of the APC national convention.
Another contender who was favoured by the zoning formula is Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs George Akume.
Akume is also a former governor, having served as chief executive officer of Benue State from 1999 to 2007.
Benue is also in the North-Central.
The minister is among the leading contenders in the chairmanship race and the zoning of the position to the North-Central has enhanced his chances.
Before the party caretaker committee, which was charged with organising the national convention, came out with the zoning formula on March 9, the race for national chairman was largely seen as a contest between the North-Central and the North-East.
The North-East states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe.
Aspirants from the North-East include former Borno State governor Ali Modu Sheriff, former Gombe State governor Danjuma Goje, and former Bauchi State governor Isa Yuguda.
A former Zamfara State governor Abdulaziz Yari was also a leading contender for the chairmanship position.
Zamfara is in the North-West.
Yari, Zamfara governor from 2011 to 2019, was one of the most prominent faces in the race, with his posters and billboards positioned at strategic locations in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
But with the zoning formula released by the caretaker committee, Sheriff, Goje, Yuguda, Yari and other aspirants that are not from the North-Central have automatically lost out and would no longer participate in the contest for national chairman.
The zoning formula, released in a statement issued by APC Director of Publicity Salisu Na’inna Dambatta, shows that the South-West is to produce the National Secretary and National Youth Leader.
Party positions zoned to the South-East include Deputy National Chairman (South) and National Treasurer.
The South-South will produce the National Publicity Secretary and National Women Leader.
Positions ceded to the North-East include Deputy National Chairman (North) and National Auditor.
Key positions to be filled by the North-West include National Legal Adviser, National Organising Secretary and National Financial Secretary.
The zoning formula for APC 2022 national convention
The breakdown of the zoning formula, as contained in the statement released by the APC, is as follows.
NORTH-CENTRAL: Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states
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 states
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 states
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 states
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 states
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