The North Central All Progressives Congress (NC APC) Forum has firmly stated that the region’s current occupation of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) position should not disqualify it from producing the next National Chairman of the party.
Responding to suggestions that the zone must relinquish the SGF role to qualify for the APC’s top leadership post, the Forum dismissed such claims as unfounded and inconsistent with the party’s zoning and power-sharing arrangements.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its Chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, the Forum argued that returning the position of national chairman to the north central is not a privilege but a rightful claim rooted in the party’s zoning principles and the region’s significant political contributions.
“The North Central deserves to produce both the SGF and the APC National Chairman, given its consistent support and contributions to the growth and electoral success of the party,” Zazzaga said.
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He highlighted that the region delivered the third-highest number of votes to President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, behind only the south-west and north-west, reinforcing its strategic importance within the APC’s national structure.
“Tinubu secured 1,760,993 votes in the region, representing 41.3% of the total ballots cast. Besides this electoral strength, the North-Central boasts the highest number of APC governors in the country.
“The party currently controls five of the six states in the region, Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa and Niger, which clearly underlines its political relevance and grassroots reach,” the Forum stated.
Addressing recent calls that the next APC national chairman must be a Christian from the north-central, the Forum warned against injecting religion into party politics, saying it is a divisive tactic being employed by self-serving politicians.
“These individuals did not support President Tinubu in the last election. In fact, they backed the Labour Party’s candidate and delivered their polling units to him. They have no moral standing to dictate the leadership direction of the APC,” the Forum said.
The group emphasized that the North Central is a secular region and has historically prioritized unity over religious bias.
It urged President Tinubu and the APC leadership to consider only competence and proven track records in making appointments.
Reaffirming its support for Senator Tanko Al-Makura as the preferred candidate for APC national chairman, the forum described him as a seasoned politician with unassailable credentials.
Al-Makura, a two-term governor of Nasarawa State and former senator, hails from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc, one of the three legacy parties that formed the APC.
The forum noted that while the ACN and ANPP blocs have produced national chairmen, the CPC has yet to occupy the position, making Al-Makura’s candidacy not only strategic but also justifiable.
“Al-Makura has always demonstrated loyalty and maturity. He was among those who stepped aside without rancour to allow a consensus arrangement that produced Senator Abdullahi Adamu as chairman in 2022.
“His loyalty to APC and to President Tinubu is beyond doubt,” the Forum affirmed, highlighting his experience in handling sensitive party assignments, including chairing the APC governorship primary in Ekiti in 2018 and leading reconciliation efforts across zones.
The Forum also recalled Al-Makura long-standing political involvement, from his early days as Plateau State Youth Leader in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1979, to his role as a founding member of the APC.
The NC APC Forum urged President Tinubu to uphold merit and party unity in choosing the next chairman, saying, “This is a defining moment to reward loyalty, consolidate party strength, and promote inclusiveness within the APC.”