The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has declared that the region deserves to produce both the positions of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and National Chairman of the party.

It based its claim on the region’s significant contribution to the governing party’s electoral success, noting that it delivered the third-highest number of votes in the 2023 presidential election for the governing party.

The Forum made the declaration in a statement issued by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, on Sunday in Abuja.

The statement was in response to insinuations that the position of SGF should be taken away from the North-Central if the region is to produce the National Chairman of the APC.

Insisting that the North-Central should produce the National Chairman of the APC, in line with the party’s subsisting zoning arrangement, the Forum kicked against the suggestion that the region cannot produce both the SGF and National Chairman.

“The North-Central deserves to produce the SGF and APC National Chairman due to the region’s contributions to the party. The North-Central gave President Bola Tinubu and the APC the third-highest number of votes in the 2023 presidential poll, behind the South-West and North-West,” the statement noted.

Tinubu received 1,760,993 votes (41.3%) in the North-Central in 2023. Peter Obi of the Labour Party got 1,415,557 votes (33.2%) while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party received 1,025,178 votes (24.1%) in the region.

“Among the various geopolitical zones, the North-Central has the highest number of APC governors. APC controls five of the six North-Central states — Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger. This unmatched record demonstrates the strength and the wide acceptance of the party in the region.

“Returning the position of National Chairman to the North-Central, in accordance with the zoning arrangement of the APC, is not a favour; rather, it is well deserved. The North-Central deserves to produce both the SGF and APC National Chairman. Holding the position of SGF cannot stop the North-Central from producing the National Chairman,” Zazzaga said.

The Forum, in the same vein, faulted calls that the position of APC National Chairman should be reserved for Christians from the North-Central.

Warning those behind the calls to have a rethink, the APC Forum stressed that the North-Central is a secular region.

“The politicians who are bringing up the issue of religion are doing so because of their selfish interests. We hereby warn them to have a rethink. The North-Central has historically been a secular region and we will not allow self-serving individuals to use religion to divide our people,” the statement added.

The Forum alleged that the politicians pushing the religious agenda did not support Tinubu and the APC during the 2023 presidential election.

Instead of considering religion, the North-Central APC Forum urged the President to consider track records in making appointments.

“Only individuals with proven track records should be considered for appointment into any position; that is the only way to maintain the growth, progress, and dominance of the APC. Any other consideration, including religion, should be jettisoned.

“Our endorsement of Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura for the position of National Chairman is based on his track record — as a loyal, committed party man and a political office holder who has served as a governor and a senator.

“We believe that the party, and the country in general, will be better if track record is considered when appointments are made,” the statement said.