APC convention: Voting pattern confirms power shift

Sopuruchi Onwuka

The delegates at the 2022 national convention of the All Progressive Congress (APC) on Saturday voted to retain the critical national positions of the party in the northern part of the country, possibly paving the way for power shift to the south at the end of the full eight year tenure of outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari.

Apart from clinching the position of National Chairman of the party which was won by Senator Abudullahi Adamu of the Northcentral state of Nassarawa, the party also conceded the critical national executive positions to the three zones of the north.

The Oracle Today reports that the party’s convention to select its national and zonal officials is supposed to lay the ground work for the 20123 general elections; and the choice of the party’s candidates for the election would be critical to its polling performance across the six zones of the country.

And since the return of civil rule in 1999, the political parties have maintained a convention for balance of power among the key ethnic components of the country except in the current administration of APC controlled federal government in which the entire eastern bloc of the federating unit is denied leadership of any of the three arms of government.

The party’s leadership and controlled government have been under criticisms for non-inclusive government and nepotism, and the government of President Muhammadu Buhari which  has no strong portfolio for few appointees from the eastern parts of the is lately making efforts to address the rising agitations impinging from radical elements from the region.

And key political stalwarts from the South East zone some of whom participated in the formation of APC of the party have maintained high degree of loyalty.

In his remarks at the convention ground in Abuja on Saturday, Vice President Yomi Osinbajo had paid glowing tributes to founding fathers of the party whom he listed to include Chief Bisi Akande, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu and Owelle Rochas Okorocha. 

President Buhari had in his speech called for strong party loyalty, and warned against subverting the collective objectives for personal interests. He warned against hauling of cash in subverting the will of the people, maintaining that internal democracy in the party would be crucial to its performance in the 2023 general elections.

He urged the party’s leadership to play along the provisions of the newly passed electoral act and guarantee the freedom of people to choose their leaders. The president refrained from making any suggestions on his choice of candidates for the party leadership and for general elections in 2023.

However, the results of the party leadership contests at the convention confirmed what appears to be palpable understanding in the party for the candidacy of its presidential ticket in the 2023 polls to rotate down south. Key national position that form power centres in the party already won by candidates from the three zones of the north. This is despite the visible spread of national offices across the six zones of the country.

The positions domiciled in the north include the posts of National Chairman won by Senator Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa State; National Auditor won by Sen Abubakar Maikafi of Bauchi State; National Legal Adviser won by Ahmed El-Marzuk of Katsina State; and National Financial Secretary won by Bashir Usman Gumel of Jigawa State.

Other national offices voted to the north are National Organizing Secretary won by Suleiman M. Argungu of Kebbi State; and several other deputy national positions.

However there were less strategic national positions voted to the south to balance out the weight of power. These include the posts of National Treasurer won by Uguru Matthew Ofoke of Ebonyi State; National Welfare Secretary won by F.N. Nwosu of Abia State; National Publicity Secretary won by Felix Morka of Delta State; National Women Leader won by Dr Betta Edu of Cross River State; National Youth Leader won by Abdullahi Dayo Israel of Lagos Stat; and Special (Persons With Disability) Leader voted for Tolu Bankole of Ogun State.

Other deputy positions for national offices were also voted to the south.

With the chairmanship and other key positions now installed in the north, it is most probable that that the party’s presidential candidate will not also come from the same bloc in order not to breach the unwritten principle of maintaining the political scale on equitable balance.

The Oracle Today reports that the 78 positions published by the APCA at the end of the exercise are equally split between the north and south of the country. The list available to The Oralce Today follows.

North Central

1. National Chairman: Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa State)
2. Deputy National Secretary: Festus Fuanter (Plateau State)
3.  National Vice Chairman ((North Central): Mu’azu Bawa Rijau (Niger State
4. Deputy National Legal Adviser: Barr Ibrahim Salahu (Kwara State)
5. Deputy National Publicity Secretary: Yakubu Murtala Ajaka (Kogi State)
6. National Ex-officio (North Central): Oluwatoyin Opawuye (Kwara State)
7. Zonal Secretary (North Central): Yakubu Muhammad Adamu (FCT)
8. Zonal Legal Adviser (North Central): Hadiza Aliyu (Kogi State)
9. Zonal Organizing Secretary (North Central): Ahmed Attah (Kogi State)
10. Zonal Publicity Secretary (North Central):John Okoho (Benue State)
11. Zonal Women Leader (North Central): Oluwatoyin Opawuye (Kwara State)
12. Zonal Youth Leader (North Central): Zubairu Aliyu (Kwara State)
13. Zonal Leader of Persons With Disability (North Central): Laho Lazarus Audu (Benue State)

North East

1. Deputy National Chairman (North): Senator Abubakar Kyari (Borno State)
2. Deputy Vice Chairman (North East): Mustapha Salihu (Adamawa State)
3. National Auditor: Sen Abubakar Maikafi (Bauchi State)
4. Deputy National Financial Secretary: Hamma-Adama Ali Kumo (Gombe State)
5. Deputy National Women Leader: Zainab Abubakar Ibrahim (Taraba State)
6. National Ex-officio (North East): Sirajo Dahuwa (Bauchi State)
7. Zonal Secretary (North East): Muhammad Wali Shettima (Yobe State)
8. Zonal Legal Adviser (North East): Dauda Chakpo (Taraba State)
9. Zonal Organizing Secretary (North East): Abubakar Adamu Musa (Taraba State)
10. Zonal Publicity Secretary (North East): Lamido Muhammed (Gombe State)
11. Zonal Women Leader (North East): Zainab Abubakar Alman (Gombe State)
12. Zonal Youth Leader (North East): Jason Baba Kwaghe (Adamawa State)
13. Zonal Leader of Persons With Disability (North East): Muhammed Baba Isa (Yobe State)

North West

1. National Vice Chairman (North West): Salihu Lukman (Kaduna State)
2. National Legal Adviser:Ahmed El-Marzuk (Katsina State)
3. National Financial Secretary: Bashir Usman Gumel (Jigawa State)
4. National Organizing Secretary: Suleiman M. Argungu (Kebbi State)
5. Deputy National Youth Leader: Jamaluddeen Kabir (Zamfara State)
6. National Ex-officio (North West): Aliyu Ahmed Yako (Kano State)
7. Zonal Secretary (North West): Bello Goronyo (Sokoto State)
8. Zonal Legal Adviser: (North West): Bashir Usaini Dutse (Jigawa State)
9. Zonal Organizing Secretary (North West): Salisu Uba (Zamfara State)
10. Zonal Publicity Secretary (North West): Musa Makafiya (Zamfara State)
11. Zonal Women Leader (North West): Hadiza Shagari (Sokoto State)
12. Zonal Youth Leader (North West): Abdulhamid Umar Muhammed (Kano State)
13. Zonal Leader of Persons With Disability (North West): Lawal Na Rago (Kano State)

South East

1. Deputy National Chairman (South): Emma Eneukwu (Enugu State)
2. National Vice Chairman (South East): Dr Ijeomah Arodiogbu (IMO State)
3. National Treasurer: Uguru Matthew Ofoke (Ebonyi State)
4. National Welfare Secretary: F.N. Nwosu (Abia State)
5. Deputy National Organizing Secretary: Chidi Duru (Anambra State)
6. National Ex-officio (South East): Rt. Hon. Agunwa Anekwe ((Anambra State)
7. Zonal Secretary (South East): Azosu Innocent Itafa (Ebonyi State)
8. Zonal Legal Adviser (South East): Mayor Ogbona Ernest (Ebonyi State)
9. Zonal Organizing Secretary (South East): Dozie Ikedife (Anambra State)
10. Zonal Publicity Secretary (South East):Augustine Onyedebelu (IMO State)
11. Zonal Women Leader (South East):Mimi Uchenna Diyoke (Enugu State)
12. Zonal Youth Leader (South East):Ikenna Anyalewechi (Abia State)
13. Zonal Leader of Persons With Disability (South East): Dr Nwachikwu Stanley Chinedu (Imo State )

South South

1. National Vice Chairman (South South): Chief Hon Victor Ton Gladom (Rivers State)
2. National Publicity Secretary: Felix Morka (Delta State)
3. National Women Leader: Dr Betta Edu (Cross River State)
4. Deputy National Treasurer: Hon Omorede Osifo (Edo State)
5. Deputy National Welfare Secretary: Dr Christopher Akpan (Akwa Ibom State)
6. National Ex-officio (South South): Hon. Diriwari Akedewei (Bayelsa State)
7. Zonal Secretary (South South): Dr Ita Udosen (Akwa Ibom State)
8. Zonal Legal Adviser (South South): Nil
9. Zonal Organizing Secretary (South South): Blessing Agbome (Edo State)
10. Zonal Publicity Secretary (South South): Nil
11. Zonal Women Leader (South South): Caroline Owugha (Bayelsa State)
12. Zonal Youth Leader (South South): Ebimobowe (Delta State)
13. Zonal Leader of Persons With Disability (South South):Edet Asia (Cross River State)

South West

1. National Vice Chairman (South West): D. I. Kekemeke (Ondo State)
2. National Youth Leader: Abdullahi Dayo Israel (Lagos State)
3. Special (Persons With Disability) Leader: Tolu Bankole (Ogun State)
4. Deputy National Auditor: Olufemi Egbedeyi (Oyo State)
5. National Ex-officio (South West): Bunmi Oriniowo (Ekiti State)
6. Zonal Secretary (South West): Vincent Bewaji (Ekiti State)
7. Zonal Legal Adviser (South West): Ismail Kolawole Majoro (Oyo State)
8. Zonal Organizing Secretary (South West): Lateef Ibirogba (Lagos State)
9. Zonal Publicity Secretary (South West): Ayo Afolabi (Osun State)
10. Zonal Women Leader (South West): Yetunde Adesanya (Ogun State)
11. Zonal Youth Leader (South West): Kolade Lawal (Ondo State)
12. 12. Zonal Leader of Persons With Disability (South West): Mashood Erubami (Oyo State)