By Ezeocha Nzeh
The North East zonal caucus of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has disclosed that it will announce the party’s new Nationasl Secretary in February
The zone also called on the Bornu and Yobe state chapters of the APC to arrive at an agreement and put forward without further delay a candidate for the position which was declared vacant following the election of its former National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni as executive governor of Yobe state
Rising from its meeting held at the party’s Secretariat in Abuja on Monday, the North-East zonal party leaders, however, maintained that it has not endorsed any candidate for the position, while disowning a rumoured letter in circulation claiming its endorsement of a particular candidate.
The party caucus further revealed that the position, which according to them was official declared vacant by the national leadership of the party late last year, has been micro zoned to the two states of Yobe and Borno.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, the Secretary and Publicity secretary of the North-East zone, Abubakar Sadiq and Ilyasu Habeeb respectively noted that the position was officially declared vacant late last year, adding that the zone has also micro-ed it to two states of Borno and Yobe.
“We have directed the two states involved to meet and endorse a candidate for the position. They will present the endorsed candidate for final confirmation during our next zonal caucus meeting latest by next month February for final recommendation and presentation to the national leadership of the party,” he assured.
Reading the communique raised after the meeting, the zonal Publicity Secretary Ilyasu Habeeb, disclosed that the Senate President, Senator Ahmed Lawan, has been unanimously endorsed as the Chairman and party leader of APC North-East caucus.
“Whereas, after exhaustive discussion on the progress and unity of our great party, the APC North East Zone hereby resolve as follows:
“That the APC North-East zone is in total support of all the programmes and policies of the federal government under the able leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, particularly the intervention programme of the North East Development Commission (NEDC), the multi-billion naira Mambilla Hydro Electric power project and the fight against insurgency in the zone.
“That a caucus meeting of the APC in the zone will be held very soon to deliberate on the way forward for the APC and the entire zone.
“The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan being the highest political office holder is appointed as the Chairman APC North-East caucus and the party leader in the North-East zone.
“That the APC North-East zone frowns at and is not aware of a letter going round for the endorsement of a particular candidate for National Secretary purportedly said to be from the APC North-East zone.”
