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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
Ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) national convention scheduled for March 26, five aspirants have purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the chairmanship position.
The APC Caretaker Extra Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) commenced the sale of nomination form on Tuesday, according to a statement by the party’s Director of Organisation, Prof. Al-Mustapha Ussiju.
The five chairmanship aspirants who have picked up their nomination forms include Mallam Saliu Mustapha; former governor of Nasarawa, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu; another former governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura.
Others are Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume and former governor of Zamfara State, Mr Abdulaziz Yari.
Although the position was zoned to the North Central,Yari, from the North East, also paid the N 20 million for the party’s national chairmanship Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.
There are also indications that a former governor of Borno State, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, also from the North East, may pick the chairmanship forms from the party’s national secretariat soon.
About 4,000 delegates from across the country are expected at the APC national convention, where new national executives will be elected to manage the party’s affairs.
Youth Representative on the APC CECPC, Mr Ismaeel Ahmed, noted that the party’s zoning arrangement is a guide for its members, not a constitutional issue.
Ahmed, who is the spokesman of the committee, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja, while speaking to newsmen.
“The zoning arrangement is a guide for members of the party and not a constitutional issue,” he said.
He, however, added that all issues concerning the party’s forthcoming national convention would be ratified before the date.