Yusuf Bello| Nigeria’s minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola on Tuesday asked leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to respect the gentleman agreement reached in 2015 on zoning.
The ruling party had prior to the 2015 general election, reached a gentleman pact that power would rotate to the southern part of the country after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure of eight years.
The former governor of Lagos state who stated this while speaking with journalists in minister Abuja, also said the APC would retain federal power in 2023, if it delivers on its campaign promises to Nigerians.
Fashola said, “There is nothing in the Constitution like zoning. The Constitution that sets up the climate of political parties formation does not prescribe zoning.”
“The truth is that what makes an agreement specification is the honour in which it is made not whether it is written. If it was written there would be no Court cases of breach of contract because it’s a document that is written and signed that go to court.
“But the private agreement you made with your brother and sister can be breached,” he added.
“Those of us who didn’t contest to hold party offices let’s focus on our jobs too and stop bashing in each other’s room. So, every support that the Caretaker Committee requires we will provide if it’s within our reach to do so.
“To retain power in 2023, certainly if we keep our promises, is that simple, that’s politics. If you do what you said you will do even if you don’t do it 100% and they see that you are making progress, they will even want you to finish what you started.
“Our opposition has to think better than us inorder to defeat us, right now they are not doing that. When it’s election time they should come and meet us,” he said.
Fashola, has, therefore appealed to APC stalwarts to give the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee the needed support to enable it to succeed on its assignment.
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