Why I Am Vying For APC National Chairmanship — Al-Makura

Former governor of Nasarawa State, Sen. Umar Al-Makura, has revealed why he is contesting the position of the All Progressive Congress, APC national chairmanship.

At a meeting on Tuesday with leaders of the North-Central Peoples’ Forum at the organisation’s secretariat in Abuja, Makura said he was concerned about promoting cohesion in the party and helping foster unity among Nigerians.

Al-Makura asserted that the nation put aside sacrifices made by the people of the North central to defend the oneness of Nigeria during the 1966 Biafra civil war and beyond, Naija News reports.

This according to him has contributed to the current challenges. Al-Makura said that as a committed and loyal member of the Forum, he had always given his support to the organization, and was seeking its blessings for the APC chairmanship position ahead of the party’s national convention.

The senator said: “Whatever I am angling for, I am doing so not because of myself, but because of the society and our homestead.

“As it is now, the lowest common multiple in Nigerian politics is the geographical zone. Even, when people are dilly-dallying about the presidential ticket, they are speaking in terms of zones and not the states.

“So, the earlier, the North-Central zone gets set, ready, committed, united, and speak with one voice; the better for us to assert ourselves and assume what belongs to us. We have every reason to be proud as people of the North-Central zone.

“If you look at the history of this country, you will discover that the people of the North-Central have paid their dues physically, economically, and security-wise.

“It is now time for people of this country to look towards the North-Central and reciprocate those good gestures, sacrifices, and commitments that our people have made for the unity, stability and survival of this country.”

Al-Makura said his utmost goal is to ensure that Nigeria remains united and the geo-political zone is not left behind in the scheme of things.

“It is for this reason that we have come to solicit for your support, encouragement, blessings and prayers for my aspirations as I aspire to the office of the national chairman of the APC. It is high time we took our fate in our hands,” he said.

He, however, dismissed insinuations that the presidential ambition of some APC politicians from the North-Central zone would mar his chances of success during the party’s upcoming national convention.

Al-Makura, however, maintained that as an interested member in the matter, he would rather not say much about it.

“The North-central has come to be. So, anyone from the zone who is aspiring for any position either in the party or in the country has my support,” he also said.

The National Chairman of the Forum and former Minister of State for Health, Arc. Gabriel Yakubu Aduku, receiving Al-Makura and his supporters, described him as a pillar in the North-central region.

Nonetheless, Adult stressed that the North-Central People’s Forum was a non-partisan group, but it would not shy away from supporting a ‘good product’ when and where it found one.

“We want to believe that at the end of it all, we will have cause to celebrate,” he added.