TheCable

The All Progressives Congress (APC) will set up a zoning committee on Wednesday ahead of its planned convention, TheCable understands.

All eyes are on the ruling party on where it would zone its national offices as this may give an indication of what region would produce the presidential candidate.

If the chairmanship is zoned to the north, that may be the clearest indication yet that the presidency will go to the south.

A source privy to the information said the ruling party is considering February 26 as the date of the convention.

TheCable also understands that President Muhammadu Buhari would be briefed after the APC caretaker committee led by Mai Mala Buni, Yobe governor, picks the zoning panel.

The convention has generated controversy in the ranks of the ruling party.

While many party members — especially APC governors — have insisted that the convention be held soon, other party members such as Orji Uzor Kalu, senate chief whip, have called for it to be postponed to a later month.

Kalu had argued that there are issues in the party across the country that need to be addressed before the convention is held.

Most of the states that the APC control have completed ward, LGA and state congresses — a prerequisite for the convention.

Zamfara, which has party factions, is among the few APC states that have not conducted all the levels of congresses.

The party is expected to have a national working committee (NWC) at the end of the convention.

Buni has been in charge of the party since June 2020 when the national executive committee (NEC) dissolved the NWC led by Adams Oshiomhole, former APC national chairman.