The Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied the social media report that the party has zoned the presidential as well as the National Working Committee positions to different parts of the country.
While distancing the party from the purported list, the Secretary of the Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe urged the party members to disregard the list
Our Correspondent reports that a statement claimed to have been released by CECPC titled:: “BREAKING APC announces zoning arrangement ahead of 2023 election year. APC 2023 presidential ticket zoning and National Working Committee” went viral on social media.
According to the list, the presidential ticket is zoned to South, Vice President – North, Senate President – South, Deputy Senate President – North while Speaker – North and Deputy Speaker – South.
For the National Working Committee zoning, the list showed that the north will produce the National Chairman, National Secretary – South, National Treasurer – South, Financial Secretary – North, Legal Officer – North and Welfare Officer – South.
The office of the Auditor is zoned to North, National Youth Leader – South, National Woman Leader – South, Publicity Secretary – South and Persons With Disability PWD Leader – South.
However, Senator Akpanudoedehe maintained that the party will require to make extensive consultations before such arrangement would be arrived at, adding zoning of offices is yet to be on the table of the Caretaker Committee.
“As far as I am concerned, the last Caretaker Committee meeting we had, we did not discuss that. That is not what we are concerned with now. What we are concerned with is data collection. How to collect data without making mistake.
“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 taken without consulting with the President, consult with the governors and other major stakeholders.”
He blamed the list on circulation on individuals interested in contesting for one office or the other in the party, insisting the Caretaker Committee cannot be pressurised into taking wrong decision.