APC chairmanship: Stakeholders yet to reach consensus on Akume, Al-Makura

Some All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in the North Central have said they are yet to endorse any aspirant for the party’s national chairmanship slot.

This is because they are taking their time to study the antecedents and pedigree of the various aspirants and what they portend for the stability of the party.

Top contenders for the office of APC national chairman from the North Central are a former governor of Benue State and current Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, and a former governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Al-Makura.

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Addressing newsmen on Sunday in Lafia on behalf of the stakeholders, a former member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Abdullahi Ibrahim, said the North Central region had suffered marginalisation in the political calculations of the country and should be allotted the APC chairmanship slot.

“We have not declared support for anybody. I say that with all sense of responsibility.

“It is for the good of the party as a whole that we take our time and assess the aspirants critically on the strength of what they bring to the table.

“If anybody tells you that we have a consensus candidate yet, it is a lie.

“In fact, we are yet to meet, let alone decide on it. We don’t want to rush the process.

“In all fairness, this region has been marginalized over the years and we think fielding the next chairman of the party, the largest party in Nigeria, is the best way to start the recovery process. But in spite of that, we will look before we leap,” he said.

Similarly, Ibrahim David Ajokwu from Kogi South Senatorial District, said, “We have agreed as a zone that we would not settle for less this time.

“So, anything short of a capable hand, with strong leadership abilities and a clean slate is never going to be an option for us for a consensus arrangement.”

Contestants from other zones are; former governors of Borno State, Sen Ali Modu Sheriff and Kashim Shettima; a former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari; a former governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje; and a chieftain of the party from Adamawa State, Sunny Moniedafe.