Awaiting the zoning of the National Working Committee (NWC) offices of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stakeholders of the party from South-South are demanding for the National Secretary’s slot, stating that the South East had held and is still holding the National Secretary of a major party.
The stakeholders appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the party to consider the South-South for the APC National Secretary position.
The South East APC members are already campaigning for the position of the APC National Secretary.
Two aspirants from Anambra State, Amb. Jerry Ugokwe and Hon. Chidi Duru are already campaigning for the position of the National Secretary.
Also the former National Organizing Secretary of APC, Senator Osita Izunaso is said to have indicated interest in the position of the APC National Secretary.
However, some stakeholders had said that former National Working Committee members should not be reelected into the incoming Working Committee of the party.
According to them, those that served before should go just like what happened in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) where no former NWC member was elected into the Working Committee.
Speaking on the zoning, Hon. Abel Akpan from Cross River State said the party should consider the South South for the APC National Secretary.
According to him, the South East geopolitical zone have held the position of National Secretary of a ruling party, right from the days of Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo as PDP National Secretary.
After Nwodo came Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, late Chief Ojo Maduekwe and some others.
Akpan, also said that the present National Secretary of PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu is from the South East geopolitical zone.
The Cross River APC Chieftain who spoke on behalf of the stakeholders said the position of the APC National Secretary in South South would consolidate the party in the zone.
He said, “we South South stakeholders from APC are demanding that the position of the National Secretary should be zoned to us.
“Our brothers from the South East had held the position of National Secretary of a ruling party in the past and are still holding same in the PDP.
“The South South should be allowed to hold such position for a ruling party, as this would give the zone a strong commitment to the party.
“Yes, we know that we held that position of the National Chairman but we were not allowed to complete our tenure in that office.
“We appeal to the President, Muhammadu Buhari and other party leaders to consider it progressive to zone the National Secretary to the South South.”
The South South had acted as APC National Secretary in the person of Hon. Victor Giadom and they are occupying the position of the Secretary for the Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), in the person of Senator John Akpanudoudehe.
