APC has not zoned presidency to south – El Rufai

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nazir El Rufai says the All Progressives Congress has not zoned its presidential candidate to the southern part of the country contrary to media speculations.

Speaking with State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, Governor El Rufai reiterated that APC has only zoned party offices ahead of the rescheduled national convention which will now take place on March 26.

“We are not talking about Presidency yet. When we do the convention, we will elect national officers.

“Then, we start preparing for primaries that will produce our candidates for Governorship, State Assemblies, House of Representatives, Senate, and Presidency.

That’s when the conversation will take place. What we have done with the zoning presented to the President on Tuesday, which he has approved, is sending a signal about the direction of the Party. It is not zoning any Presidency to anyone yet. But we have sent the signal.

“I will support any candidate if I am satisfied he will do the best for Nigeria. It doesn’t matter if he’s from the South West, South East, or South South. The party and the quality of the person is what matters. And the discussion we are having is that the Presidency is zoned to the South. Not any particular place in the South. The South will have first go, but we are waiting to see who the aspirants are, because few people have declared their interest. We are waiting.

“As for me personally, all I can tell you is, unless in an exceptional situation, President Buhari tells me ‘this is the one I want to be my successor’, that’s where I will go because I trust his judgement,” the Kaduna State Governor said.