The Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has disowned a viral zoning arrangement list in circulation.
A zoning arrangement titled: “BREAKING: APC announces zoning arrangement ahead of 2023 election year. APC 2023 presidential ticket zoning and National Working Committee”, had went viral on social media
The purported arrangement carried positions for major national elective offices and for positions in the party’s National Working Committee, NWC.
It stated that the presidential ticket is zoned to the South, Vice President – North, Senate President – South, Deputy Senate President – North, Speaker – North and Deputy Speaker – South.
Reacting to the list, Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the party, James Akpanudoedehe disowned the list, and urged party members to disown, it stating that “it is not from the Caretaker Committee, it is not from the party”.
He insisted that it could not have been done in the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari who is still far away in London on medical treatment.
“People who are interested in running for one office or the other can speculate. As far as I am concerned, the last Caretaker Committee meeting we had, we did not discussed that. That is not what we are concerned with now. What we are concerned with is data collection for the ongoing membership registration and validation exercise and how to collect data without making mistake.
“We are not going to be pressurized by sentiment and we do the wrong thing. Let me say that zoning is not for the Caretaker Committee alone. It has to do with the President, it has to do with other major stakeholders, it has to do with a lot of people.
“I want to mute the speculation. The list is not from us (Caretaker Committee). The President is not in town. There is no way such decision will be taking without consulting with the President, consult with the governors and other major stakeholders.
“People should disregard the list. We are focused on delivering our mandate and we are to do it rightly,” he insisted.
