APC set to zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the south after deciding next chairman will be a northerner

NIGERIA'S ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has hinted that it will zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the southern half of the country after  pointing out that its next chairman will be a northerner.

Although not constitutional, Nigeria's component parts have a gentleman's agreement that the presidency will rotate between the north and the south of the country. President Muhammadu Buhari's tenure will end in 2023 and being a Fulani northern Muslim, it is expected that the next president will come from southern Nigeria.

Historically, the chairman and presidential candidates of Nigerian political parties tend to come from different halves of the country. After extensive deliberation on the matter, the APC appears to have decided to zone the chairmanship to the north central geo-political zone, the national secretary to the southeast and the deputy national chairman to the south-south geo-political zone.

One leading party chieftain revealed that the APC would be alternating certain positions between the north and south of the country. He added that positions that were occupied by northerners in the last national working committee (NWC) would be given to southerners and vice versa.

He added:  “Discussions are ongoing and so far, we have agreed that the north central zone will take the national chairmanship position while the south-south will take the national deputy chairman, south and then the southeast will get the national secretary position. Also, the plan is that all positions that the north occupied in the last NWC will now be occupied by the south.

"Of course, everyone who wants to contest has the right to do so but this is the plan for now. Other positions will be determined in due course.”

In addition, the APC is also expected to set up sub-committees that will handle several aspects of its impending annual convention ranging from publicity to budget, security and logistics. Members of the party's national caretaker committee met in Abuja yesterday but had yet to finalise discussions and agreed to meet again today.

Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, the chairman of the APC's caretaker committee announced that the party's national convention will hold on February 26. Announcing it while delivering his keynote address at the Progressives Women Congress in Abuja, Governor Buni urged women to gun for public offices saying the APC is the most woman-friendly party in Nigeria.