Ali Modu-Sheriff, former Governor of Borno State has withdrawn from the race for the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairmanship at Saturday’s National Convention.
Sheriff’s decision followed the zoning of the National Chairman seat of the APC to the North-central zone, locking out his North-Eastern region.
The third republic senator who announced his decision to quit the rest at a press conference in Abuja said it was in respect of President Muhamadu Buhari and the party hierarchy.
Sheriff however assured his supporters and well-wishers that if the party reverts its decision between now and the convention day, he would present himself for the race to achieve his vision for the party.
“The party has taken a position that the position of the National Chairman should go to the North Central. Meaning, it is exclusively zoned to the contestants of the North Central Zone.
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“The President is the leader of the party and the President has taken a position. I’ve always told you that I will contest if it is zoned to my zone. That has been my statement always and today they have taken a position. I respect the President, I respect him as a person and as a President, he is my leader.
“He must have a reason for allowing the party to zone the Chairmanship to North Central. Myself, I’ve led a party. I am a founding father of this party. I was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of this party, meaning every decision the party makes in all the time I’ve been Chairman of the Board of Trustees, I know the procedure and the process.
“Therefore, I don’t want to oppose the President in any way or form. I respect him. I will abide by the decision of the party that it is exclusively zoned to North Central. Normally, zoning revolves around a person, you don’t zone in vacuum. And they must have a reason why it was zoned,” he said.
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