The All Progressives Congress (APC) North Central stakeholders have threatened to work against President Bola Tinubu if the region does not get the national chairmanship position in the next NEC election.
This is coming after President Tinubu approved the National Executive Council (NEC) and National Caucus meeting of the ruling party to be held on September 11 and 12.
A source told Daily Trust that the President has been made to understand the implication of leaving a vacuum in the party’s leadership.
He, however, added that the President still backs the current acting National Chairman, Umar Ganduje.
“The National Working Committee (NWC) expressed fear that any delay could create a legal vacuum, which opponents might exploit in court to challenge Ganduje’s position. Consequently, the president agreed on the NEC meeting and the December convention, firmly backing Ganduje during his discussions with party leaders,” he said.
Stakeholders from North Central, who spoke with the paper, said any plan to go against the region would be met with resistance.
The leader of North Central APC Forum, Alhaji Saleh Mandung Zazzaga, and also a former member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council during the last election, said if the NEC meeting does not yield favourably with the region’s demand they would begin consultation with other parties.
“If the NEC meeting does not yield favourable results for our region, we will immediately begin consultations to take decisive action. We cannot remain in a party where we are marginalized.
“Part of our decision could involve backing any leader or platform that prioritizes the interests of the North Central region. We urge President Tinubu to respect the zoning arrangement that brought him to power and ensure the APC chairmanship remains in the North Central,” he explained.
Also, the national chairman of the North Central Reality Movement (NRCM), a pressure group within the APC, Ibrahim Muhammad Rabiu, assured there will be an internal crisis in the party if North Central is shortchanged from getting the national chairmanship position.
“If the leadership issue isn’t resolved in favour of the North Central, it will create an internal crisis. Many party members may respect President Tinubu publicly, but they will work behind the scenes to undermine the party’s agenda if they feel marginalized,” he told Daily Trust.
The immediate former national chairman of APC, and a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, resigned from his position as a result of intense pressure.