Why APC is Yet to Endorse Any Candidate for Chairmanship

*Party chieftain endorses Sheriff

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and Igbawase Ukumba in Lafia

Some stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from the North-Central zone, Sunday, revealed reasons the party was yet to endorse anyone for the exalted office of the national chairman of the party, especially, from the North Central zone.

This is coming ahead of the elective convention of the APC, during which the leadership crisis in the party is expected to be laid to rest.

But another chieftain of the APC from Nasarawa State, Dr Mohammad Kassim, has insisted that a former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, remained the best choice forthe APC national chairmanship.

However, the other party chieftains, who explained why the party has yet to decide andspoke in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, said, though the North Central zone was desirous of producing the next chairman, they were yet to take a stand on who to push for the position.

Speaking on behalf of others, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim, a former member, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, expressed the readiness of stakeholders in the region to converge soon to pick one out of the contenders.

“We have not declared support for anybody. I say that with all sense of responsibility. It is for the good of the party as a whole that we take our time and assess the aspirants critically on the strength of what they bring to the table. If anybody tells you that we have a consensus candidate yet, it is a lie. In fact, we are yet to meet, let alone decide on it. We don’t want to rush the process.

“In all fairness, this region has been marginalised over the years and we think fielding the next chairman of the party, the largest party in Nigeria, is the best way to start the recovery process. But in spite of that, we will look before we leap,” he said.

Ibrahim David Ajokwu, a member from Kogi South Senatorial District, explained that the zone would not settle for less this time in the choice of those that would represent it at party level.

“We have agreed as a zone that we would not settle for less this time. The person that will be endorsed from the zone is going to be an ambassador of the zone. So, anything short of a capable hand, with strong leadership abilities and a clean slate is never going to be an option for us for a consensus arrangement.”

But Kassim, who flashed the Sheriff card while speaking to journalists, responded to a publication that Sheriff could not emerge a consensus candidate of the party despite his endorsement by the Ebonyi State governor, Mr Dave Umahi.

Kassim, a former member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, stated: “Senator Sheriff had led the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with capacity, competence and experience. But since he rejected bribe and left to join the party (APC), he helped to form in 2014, PDP has been jittery that if given the opportunity to lead the ruling party, he will collapse the PDP in the country and ensure victory for the ruling APC in 2023.

“Sheriff is an open book as far as leadership is concerned, his humanitarian ideology rejects blood-politicking or life wasting exercise, he never want a single person dead upon victory of his party or candidature.

“Sheriff cannot be considered a new comer into the APC, because he was the chairman of ANPP National board of trustees that negotiated merger with CPC and ACN to form the APC in 2014. Everybody in APC is a new member, because APC itself is a new political party, which was formed in 2014, where Sheriff played a key role to it’s formation.”