The ruling all Progressives Congress has taken a decision to rotate all political offices held in the last eight years between the North and the South in a new zoning arrangement
The decision was taken at a meeting between Nigeria Progressive Governors Forum, which comprises governors elected under the platform of the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.
The Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, told State House Correspondents after the meeting that with the new arrangement, all the positions occupied by northerners would go to the South while those occupied by the southerners would be taken to the North.
The Kaduna Governor described the new zoning formula as fair and equitable.
He said: “We have agreed to a zoning formula for all the six geo-political zones. Essentially, Northern zone will have the positions the south have had in the last eight years. And vice versa.
“It is a very simple, equitable and fair formula.
“We will now go back and consult at the zonal level and look at the positions that are available 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.”
El-Rufai also admitted that the timing of the national convention of the party resulted in some division among the governors.
He said that while some were of the opinion that the convention should hold as it was allowed by the constitution, others were of the view that outstanding issues of reconciliation especially in states should be addressed before the national convention.
“… We were divided. We were divided over the timing of the convention. There were some governors that felt that we should put off the convention until we resolve all the Congress’s 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 selfishmess. It is just a realistic proposition to avoid us violating any laws or putting our party structures of elected candidates in danger.
“So yes, there were differences in opinion about timing. Some of us are saying the Constitution allows us to have convention even if three or four states have issues that are unresolved, 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.
“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 of 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.”
Also, the chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum and governor of Kebbi state, Atiku Bagudu, said the APC governors were not divided.
He said that the governors elected under the APC are united and are in total support of the President whose style of leadership is appreciated by them.
He stated also that the President is in support of the use of a consensus arrangement for candidate selection.
“On Consensus, Mr. President reminded us that we have produced a number of 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 list.
Present 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 and 19 governors.
They are the Governors of Yobe, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Cross River, Kaduna, Lagos, Borno, Niger, Gombe, Osun, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Kwara, Kano, Imo, Kogi, Ogun, Plateau states and the outgoing deputy Governor of Anambra State,