The
Former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief
Bisi Akande, has said that zoning of political offices has never been
the position of the party and rejected the notion that the party was
standing in the way of any qualified senator in its fold to contest for
the position of Senate President.
The
APC chieftain said it was the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that
brought zoning into Nigeria’s polity and that no way would his party
adopt the debilitating tradition.
“Zoning
is not part of APC,” he explained. “It is a PDP arrangement and we will
not practice it. What you see with the Senate Presidency is us trying
to ensure there is no rancour amongst the senators. Of course, we want
the best man to emerge and that is what will happen.
“It
is true that sometime after the election, the National Chairman (Chief
John Oyegun) wanted to toy with the idea of zoning. But as a united
party, we unanimously said, ‘No.’ we know that zoning could create a
room for the opposition to take advantage and snatch these positions. We
have been sacrificing and compromising in the interest of our nation
and that is what we must continue to do.”
Chief
Akande spoke when a group of reporters met him as he arrived Protea
Hotel, Ikeja, for a meeting. He promised that the APC would deliver on
its manifesto and assured Nigerians that the President-elect would turn
around Nigeria’s fortunes.
SOURCE: Gbenga Olorunpomi
