By Cross Udo, David Lawani, and Nathaniel Zacchaeus, Abuja

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday 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, in the coming dispensation.

This was revealed by the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) while briefing journalists after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Also in attendance at the meeting were Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, affirmed that an agreement had been reached on a 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.”

el-Rufai added, “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.”

Nineteen state governors were in attendance at the meeting held at the Council Chambers.

They are from 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.

•el-Rufai affirms govs division over convention, says matter resolved
The Kaduna governor also affirmed that the APC governors were divided over the timing of the national convention as some believed that there were many issues left unresolved.

The governor, who spoke in response to a question, said: “Yes, we were divided. We were divided over the timing of the convention, okay. Some governors felt that we should put off the convention until we resolve all the Congress issues in some states.

“As you know, in some states, these matters are even in court. So, some governors held the view that we should wait until all these are resolved. And this is not borne out of any agenda or selfishness. It is just a realistic proposition to avoid us violating any laws or putting our party structures of elected candidates in danger.”

On the progress made by the meeting, the governor said, “So, yes, there were differences in opinion about timing. Some of us are saying the constitution allows us to have a convention, even if three or four states have unresolved issues, while others are saying no, let us finish all the reconciliations, and we do this convention.

“After all, there is no time limit for the convention, as long as we do it before the time for the primaries. So, that was the difference. This is what the media has called divided governors.”

According to el-Rufai, “In a democratic setting, there is no way you can have 22 governors, plus the deputy governor of Anambra State agreeing on any issue. We can have differences.

“But after our meeting last night to deliberate on the proposal by the national caretaker committee, and our briefing with Mr. President today, we’re all on the same page.”

•Chairman to emerge by consensus, says Bagudu
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the PGF and Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, revealed that President Buhari was in favor of consensus to select candidates for party offices.

Also answering questions, he stated: “On Consensus, Mr. President reminded us that we have produced some national chairmen by consensus; Baba Akande emerged as the pioneer chairman of the party by consensus; His Excellency, John Oyegun, emerged by consensus; His Excellency, Adams Oshiomhole, emerged by consensus.

“So, he is a believer in consensus as one of the options of producing leadership, and he urged us to explore consensus so that we can generate a list.

“While recognizing that many people who have indicated interest are equally competent, knowing that just one person will occupy the office, the consensus is part of our constitution, and he urged us to work towards consensus.

“And the governors I have said earlier have also been working to ensure that as part of the equitable arrangement, zoning and consensus are incorporated. We have done that at the lower levels, and even at the national level, it is almost certain that we will achieve it.”

Bagudu added, “Then, the date of the convention, the caretaker committee briefed us yesterday of their meeting and the proposed March 26, 2022. And today, the governors informed Mr. President that we have had the briefing from the caretaker committee, and we are supportive of their position.”

The governor explained that even though the planned zonal congresses of the APC are not provided for in its constitution, the law is also not against the process.

He said: “On proposed zonal congresses not in the constitution, I think there has been so much debate. Yesterday (Monday), there was a statement to the effect that even the letter that has gone out was withdrawn.

“So, zonal congresses are not explicitly stated in the constitution, particularly how you do zonal congresses. And we have in the past done them with national convention, but nothing again in the constitution stops them from being done outside the national convention. But the final form will be decided, given the input we have provided.”

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On whether the APC governors are divided, Bagudu answered: “Are governors divided? Not at all. The 22 governors of the APC are united. We are in total support of Mr. President, we are appreciative of his leadership, we commend him for his leadership, we are appreciative of the sacrifice of the national Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee.

“And we thanked them for the successes recorded under them. Our party, as I said, is greater and stronger, with more members by the day.”

While also responding to a question, the chairman of NGF and Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, dismissed fears that the ruling party would collapse at the end of President Buhari’s era.

He explained, “I think that from the progress report, read by our chairman, and from several assumptions, and also several reports, that we’re seeing what tremendous efforts the Federal Government is doing. And again, we’re already going around commissioning projects here and there in all the various states.

“There is no doubt although you are not specific as to which reason will make us not come back again. But as far as we’re concerned based on assessment, and based on what the federal government is doing tremendously, there is every hope that this party, this government, will move beyond our president, and I think that is his efforts, and that’s what he has been saying by the grace of God. This government will move beyond his tenure.”

•Share APC national executives among Buhari, Tinubu, other founders’ cronies –Okorocha
Meanwhile, a former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has asked the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to share the next national executives of the party among its founding fathers, to avoid further crisis.

He said the national executives of the party should be picked by President Muhammadu Buhari, former Lagos State governor Bola Tinubu, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, and himself, among others.

Okorocha, who stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja, also asked the APC leadership to pacify the founding fathers of the party to avoid unnecessary litigation after the March 26 convention.

He noted that the only way to overcome the APC crisis before and after the convention was to share the national positions among those who worked hard to make APC a reality in 2014.

The senator said reverting to how APC distributed offices when it was formed would solve all the crises rocking the political party.

Okorocha said, “Our party is great. APC is a great party. What is wrong with our party is that we have forgotten how we all started. We should not make the mistake of the PDP of old, and I think that will be corrected with the party’s convention.

“What we need to do is to go back to the basics so that we carry the culture of unity. Defeating a sitting government is not a small victory.

The Owelle added, “There were four political parties that formed APC. They were, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) led by the former head of state, Mohammadu Buhari, who is now the President of Nigeria; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu came with Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN); former governor Abdulaziz Yari, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff of the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP); a former governor of Ebonyi State, Ogbonnaya Onu, who is now Minister of Science and Technology, and myself, Rochas Okorocha, leading the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

“Our initial position was that all positions would be shared among these four parties, and the APP came with a few members. The new PDP that came after the merger, should also be accommodated.

“Now, the wisest thing for all of us to do is to go back to the founding basis and distribute the political positions as we did it that time, and there will be no rancor, and it will be very peaceful. The father of the party now is President Muhammadu Buhari. He should be given that respect to picking the person that will hold a sensitive position in the party as chairman.

“Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should always be made to produce some key positions in the party and the other parties and should also be made to have positions. When this is done, there will be no problem in APC.”

General Agwai decries interagency rivalry

Okorocha expressed the fears that ruling APC would face multiple litigations in court after the rescheduled National Convention of the party.

He said the APC had unfortunately forgotten how it started and was making the mistake of PDP but believed that the National Convention would be an opportunity to correct their mistakes if they listen to somebody like him.”

The former Imo State governor said, “If we go into an election at this time, and of course, it will open a Pandora of litigation because 1,000 people buy nomination forms. APC can make an income of N2 billion on sales of forms, and after that, APC can spend N3 billion on litigation activities.

“So, the wise thing to do is to call the founding fathers of the party and give them key positions and carry everyone along, including the new people that joined the party.”

He added that Tinubu, who was quoted to have promised to fight dirty if the need arose, could say so if the former Lagos governor perceived injustice.