Ahead of the All Progressives Congress National Convention on February 26, the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has expressed confidence that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), will guide the governing party appropriately to ensure equitable zoning.
Abiodun disclosed this to State House Correspondents on Friday when he led a delegation of past state leaders on a thank-you visit to Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the Governor, Buhari will continue to provide the direction to move the party forward.
He, however, said as a Governor, he was not in the position to advise the APC on zoning, adding that the party is working on the formula, which he said will be revealed after the National Executive Council approves it.
On APC zoning, he said, “I will be hesitant to delve into the details of this because, one, I’m not in any position or capacity to advise the party. I am a governor, a member of the party. And I will continue to be guided by the party leadership and in line with party discipline.
“We have a President in place; we are the party that’s in government. Our President is the leader of the party. I believe that His Excellency, Mr President, will continue to offer us the required guidance and do what we need to do under his leadership.
“I am not sure that I am capable or have the capacity to begin to advise the party when I am just a member of the party and a governor, and the party has a leader who is the President. We are aware that the party is working on zoning, and when that is formalised and ratified by NEC, then it will be made public, so we’ll know where the chairman of the party will come from, we’ll know where the President will come from, and things will evolve in their own time.”
On the purpose of their visit, Governor Abiodun said he and his entourage were in the Villa to thank the President for his recent visit to the state to commission several landmark projects, including the 42km Sagamu Interchange–Abeokuta dual carriageway, the new Kobape Housing Estate, located on the Sagamu Abeokuta Interchange, and the first phase of Kings Court Estate, Abeokuta, developed by the Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation.
Buhari said the new roads would cut travel time considerably, lauding Abiodun for also working hard on security and other projects that touch the lives of his people.
The Governor came in the company of former governor of the state, Olusegun Osoba; Chairman of the Council of Obas, Babatunde Ajayi; former deputy governor, Salimot Badru, and a foremost industrialist, Sulaiman Adegunwa.