With its integrity at stake over the manner it has postponed the dates of its conventions, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is taking measures to assure its members of its seriousness this time around. This is coming as speculations were rife in Abuja that a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor, and serving APC Senator from the North-Central Zone is being tipped from the highest quarters to head the party’s National Working Committee as Chairman.
The party, believed to have opted for concensus to douse internal tensions, has distributed offices to the six geo-political zones as evidenced in the release of the allocations and a programme of events for the convention by the Caretaker Extra-ordinary Committee of the party in Abuja.
But there were fears that the preferred choice for the office of the national chairman, may run into troubled waters because he has questions of integrity to deal with. He is believed to have a fat file with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which his political foes may resort to, to force a change of heart among his backers.
“Nothing is cast in gold yet with four weeks to go,” an insider volunteered on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, details of the zoning formula of offices and convention programme released by the party in Abuja reads below:
APC EXTRAORDINARY NATIONAL CONVENTION 2022
ZONING OF NATIONAL OFFICES
South-South:
(Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States)
1. National Vice Chairman (SS)
2. National Publicity Secretary
3. National Women Leader
4. Deputy National Treasurer
5. Deputy National Welfare Secretary
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organizing Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader
South-West:
(Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo States)
1. National Secretary
2. National Vice Chairman (South-West)
3. National Youth Leader
4. Deputy National Auditor
5. Zonal Secretary
6. Zonal Youth Leader
7. Zonal Organizing Secretary
8. Zonal Women Leader
9. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader
South-East:
(Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo States)
1. Deputy National Chairman (S)
2. National Vice Chairman (SE)
3. National Treasurer
4. National Welfare Secretary
5. Deputy National Organizing Secretary
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organizing Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader
North-East:
(Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States)
1. Deputy National Chairman (N)
2. National Auditor
3. National Vice Chairman (NW)
4. Deputy National Financial Secretary
5. Deputy National Women Leader
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organizing Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader
North-Central:
(Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau States)
1. National Chairman
2. National Vice Chairman (NC)
3. Deputy National Secretary
4. Deputy National Legal Adviser
5. Deputy National Publicity Secretary
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organizing Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability- PWD) Leader
North-West:
(Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States)
1. National Vice Chairman (NW)
2. National Legal Adviser
3. National Organizing Secretary
4. National Financial Secretary
5. Deputy National Youth Leader
6. Zonal Secretary
7. Zonal Youth Leader
8. Zonal Organizing Secretary
9. Zonal Women Leader
10. Zonal Special (Persons with Disability – PWD) Leader
▪︎ DRAFT NATIONAL CONVENTION PROGRAMME:
1. Arrival of Accredited National Delegates
2. Arrival of National Chairman and members of NCECPC
3. Arrival of the APC State Governors
4. Arrival of the Speaker of the House of Representatives
5. Arrival of the Senate President
6. Arrival of the Vice President
7. Arrival of the President
8. The National Anthem
9. Opening Prayers
10. Introduction and Recognition of guests
11. Interlude
12. Opening Remarks by Chairman Convention Planning Committee (with Deputy Chairman and Sub-Committee Chairpersons)
13. Welcome Address by National Caretaker and Extraordinary Convention Committee Chairman
14. Interlude
15. Remarks by Selected Stakeholders and Party Leaders
16. Interlude
17. Remarks by Chairman, Progressive Governors’ Forum
18. Remarks by Chairman, Northern States Governors’ Forum
19. Remarks by Chairman, Southern States Governors’ Forum
20. Remarks by Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum
21. Interlude
22. Remarks by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
23. Remarks by the Senate President
24. Interlude
25. Remarks by the Vice President
26. Special Remarks by the President
27. Interlude
28. Elections into National Offices of the APC
29. Interlude
30. Counting and Collation of Votes
31. Declaration of Results/Swearing in of the newly elected executives
32. Acceptance Speech by the newly elected Chairman of the APC
33. Motion for closing of the 2022 Extraordinary National Convention
34. Closing Remarks by the Deputy Chairman Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee
35. Closing Prayers
36. National Anthem
37. Departure in reverse order