Kaduna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has taken a swipe at the main opposition party in Nigeria, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying the APC is committed, by reaching a zoning formula agreement, to ensure the “Peoples’ destruction party” does not return to power.
Recall newsmen had recorded earlier that PDP had taken a swipe at APC saying APC’s inability to conduct its national convention is one of many reasons “our national life is in shambles”.
But at a meeting held between President Muhammadu Buhari and 19 governors elected under the APC at the presidential, Abuja, the All Progressives Congress, APC, said it has agreed on a zoning formula that will swap offices held between north and south.
By the arrangement, all offices that were occupied by northerners in the last eight years will go to the south and vice versa under the new arrangement. Political pundits have opined possible mass defection from the ruling party if its presidential ticket is not zoned to the south, a scenario some believed is liable for the constant postponement of its national convention.
But, speaking to journalists on the outcome of the meeting, the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, said contrary to reports in the media of division among the APC governors, the agreement had been reached on the zoning formula.
He said: “We have agreed on a zoning formula for all the six geo-political zones. Essentially, the northern zone will have the positions the south has had in the last eight years. And vice versa.
“It is a very simple, equitable, and fair formula.
“We will now go back and consult at the zonal level and look at the available positions and the process of the convention preparation we started in earnest.
“So, by the grace of God, on the 26th of March, we would have done our national convention.”
el-Rufai also said, “We are committed to ensuring that the Peoples, Destruction Party doesn’t come back to power.”
Eighteen of the governors that were in attendance at the meeting are those of Yobe, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Cross River, Kaduna, Lagos, Borno, Niger, Gombe, Osun, Kebbi, Anambra dep, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kano, Imo, Kogi, Ogun, and Plateau states.
The outgoing deputy governor of Anambra state was also in attendance.
It was the governors of Ondo, Katsina, and Zamfara that were not present during the briefing.
Ada Peter
