Barring any unforeseen circumstance, the National Caretaker Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the Yobe State Governor, Mallam Mai Mala Buni, will meet this week on the zoning of all the party offices, ahead of the party’s February 26 national convention, Flavision has learnt.

This is coming as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has disclosed that the ruling party would remain committed to the welfare of the common man.

A member of the CECPC told THISDAY at the weekend that the caretaker committee would also set up a zoning committee to address the issue of the zoning of the party’s elective positions.

According to him, the zoning committee will consider equity and justice before coming up with its position on zoning.

The CECPC member, who urged members of the party to ignore all former reports of zoning, also described such reports as fake.

He said that the expected zoning committee would be guided by justice and fairness by ensuring that all zones and states are fairly represented.

When asked whether the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC would be summoned to approve the zoning arrangement before implementation, he said the Buni-led committee would play the dual role of the NWC and NEC of the party.

We are a child of circumstance. We are playing two roles in one. CECPC is playing the role of both the working committee and the NEC.

There won’t be any NEC meeting, but we are working with the governors of the party and others to ensure that everything about the convention is set on course and that there will be no trouble. We shall deliver a smooth and transparent convention.

After our meeting this week, every doubting person will keep quiet. At the end of the day, because there is no NEC, the report of the zoning committee will be sent to the President who is the leader of the party and the governors for their perusal and advice and we are set to go for the February 26 date,

he explained.

However, one of the chairmanship aspirants, Mr. Saliu Mustapha has insisted that the North-central geopolitical zone should produce the next national chairman of the APC. “It is for balancing and equity. We are the bridge linking the North and South,” he said.

Welfare of Average Nigerian Paramount to Ruling Party, Says Osinbajo

Meanwhile, Vice President Osinbajo has disclosed that the ruling APC would remain committed to the welfare of the common man.

He attributed this to the party being that of the people and the resolve of the APC to continually ensure that the common man benefits maximally from the government.

Osinbajo, according to a statement issued yesterday by his Media Assistant, Mr Laolu Akande, made this disclosure when he played host to a delegation of the APC Professionals Forum at the State House, Abuja.

According to him:

This is a party of the common man, a party of the people, a party that takes as its cradle, the importance of ensuring that the common man benefits maximally from the government which is why we have the big programmes like the Social Investment Programmes, the largest of its kind in the continent and several of such other programmes that emphasise how serious we take the lot of the common man.

Reminiscing on the party’s formation about nine years ago, the VP noted that APC has made an impact and it is determined to improve the well-being of Nigerians.

He added that the party is also where many young people are, stressing that

we are the ruling party in Africa’s largest democracy, which by itself is a phenomenal achievement for such a young party.

But you’ll find that in the particular ideological direction of our party, it’s one that was clear to the founders of the party, the initial persons and groups that came together to form the party and they came from different parties, but it was to present a left of centre, a social democratic alternative to the ruling party.

Osinbajo further stated that the APC is determined to ensure the country’s further growth and development, noting that the party carries with it, the hopes and expectations of millions of Nigerians.

The party is not a mere platform for running for political office, it carries with it the hopes and expectations of millions of Nigerians and we must make it a place where they are comfortable, a place where they feel this belongs to us. We can even put our resources into it; it is not just for politicians; it is for us all.

Osinbajo said leaders and politicians are there to serve the people and give them reasons to believe in a better country.

Our people, the Nigerian people, need hope; they need to be able to believe in the politicians; they need to be able to believe in their leaders and if the leaders are within the political party, that political party must have an ideology that is attractive to them, that makes them feel wanted, that makes them feel cared for and I think that role is so crucial.

It is the role this Professional Forum must take on to itself. And what it entails aside from that logical objective of the forum; what it entails is defining in writing in various ways what our party stands for.

Acknowledging the significance of the APC Professionals Forum in the scheme of things, the vice president urged the Forum to play more important roles in shaping the party’s ideology.

He said:

There are many people that say well, we have not done this, we have not done that. There are so many ways of looking at it, but the truth of the matter is that the party was committed and is seen across the country as a party of the common man, which is why I think the role of the Professionals Forum is particularly important because we are trying to shape the ideology of the party.

He stressed that professionals are integral to ensuring the party stays focused on the wellbeing of Nigerians and its ideals, as stated in the Constitution and manifesto, respectively.

According to him,

if the professionals cannot do that, then our party becomes all comers, anything goes so long as we have a platform to run for political office. But I think that we, especially professionals, have a unique advantage.

We have many who have run their businesses, who have professional organisations or who have excelled in their professions and we know that the only way to do things properly is if we can press on without relenting.

Osinbajo further hoped that the APC Professionals Forum will also carry the hopes and expectations of millions of the party’s supporters nationwide.

He also believed that the Forum, made up of professional elites, will be of great benefit to the party and Nigeria because of its leadership and quality of professionals on its board of trustees and as members, who he noted

are not just politicians, but people who have distinguished themselves

in their respective fields.

I think our party will rely a great deal on this forum and I hope and pray that the Forum will realise all of its objectives, including the extra ones that our party must place upon you, especially at this time in the life and history of our dear country,

he said.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.