APC Ditches Zoning Formula For Anambra Governorship Election, Prioritizes Capacity, Competence

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stated that it will consider capacity and ability to deliver rather than zoning in the party primary for the November Anambra State governorship election.

National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru, stated this during a chat with The Sun.

He noted that if zoning is to be considered, the aspirants from the North and Central Senatorial zones would be considered ahead of those from the South since the incumbent governor, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, hails from these zones.

He hinted that it would be difficult for a party not in power to restrict itself to a regimented zoning arrangement.

The party’s chief said three criteria, comprising zone, character, and content of the aspirants, would be the major factors to consider.

He said, “When you talk about zoning, of course, the search our party has done, we are looking at Central and North Senatorial zones, and because of the fact that the incumbent is from the South zone, we may not look at that area.

“However, ultimately, our choice of candidacy will be based on capacity and ability to deliver. So, we are not closing our eyes totally to any of the zones, in terms of selection of our candidate.

“We are going to look at competence, ability and, of course, the popular appeal of anybody that aspires to become our candidate.

“So, when you are not in power, you cannot put yourself in the pigeonhole of a particular zone. You have to look at the zone, the character and content of the candidate that will be able to deliver in that regard.”

Expressing confidence in winning the poll, he said: “As far as we are concerned, we are focused on the delivery of the mandate of our party as a leadership recruitment platform.

“We are focused on delivering the incoming election. INEC will soon release notice of election for Anambra State and our party is poised to take over leadership in Anambra State as the party that has more states in the Southeast geopolitical zone.

“We are also poised to work assiduously to take over the mantle of leadership in other states like Ekiti and Osun states.”