The political horse-trading for the chairmanship of the recently constituted Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has pitted prominent leaders of the party from the three geopolitical zones, South-west, North-central and North-west, against one another.

The consideration for the BoT top job comes in the wake of the rejection of its membership by the former interim Vice-Chairman of APC for the South-south zone, Chief Tom Ikimi, who from all indications has concluded plans to leave the party this week.

Among the leading contenders for the chairmanship post are the past interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Alhaji Kawo Baraje.

A top party source informed THISDAY that although consultations are ongoing among the leaders of the party to decide which of the zones will produce the BoT chairman, the strong consensus is in favour of either Akande or Ogbeh.

He said the issue could not be conclusively decided because of the absence at the meetings of some key members, including the former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, who is said to have gone abroad for medical treatment.

But the source went further to reveal that those who favour Akande have pushed forward his antecedents as the interim national chairman and how he was able to manage otherwise explosive issues such as the last national convention of the party.

In the same vein, those backing Ogbeh and Baraje feel the opposition party ought to give them the opportunity to serve in the capacity of BoT chair so that they can bring their vast experience to bear on the affairs of APC, having both served as former national chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

THISDAY however gathered that the chances of the South-east producing the chairman of the BoT was dashed following the refusal of its top choice candidate, the former National Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, to join the race.

The South-east was considered the best bet to pick the post, having lost out to the South-south over the post of national chairman of the party.

According to a source, immediately the list of BoT members was approved by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), leaders of the South-east caucus approached Onu urging him to step forward to vie for the position.

It was learnt that the leaders visited the former ANPP chairman in his Abuja residence where they tried to convince him to accept the position but he was said to have declined.

The reason for his opting out of the race may not be unconnected with the suspected clash between him and the Governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha.
Both politicians appear to be nursing higher political ambitions within the APC, which they believe might be compromised if the South-east accepts the BoT chairmanship post.

Meanwhile, one of the leaders of APC from the South-south, Ikimi, was said to have rejected his inclusion in the party’s BoT.

The first indication of his rejection of the offer was evident following his absence from the inaugural meeting of the board last Wednesday.

Although the party’s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, tried to explain his absence, saying that he had travelled outside the country, the truth later emerged that the Edo State-born politician was still nursing grievances against the party.

When contacted yesterday, Ikimi debunked the statement credited to Mohammed that he was out of the country, saying he had been at his home in Benin City.
Ikimi, who spoke to THISDAY on the telephone, said he is planning to address the media over his next line of action this week.

Also, Mohammed informed THISDAY yesterday that the party at the moment was not aware of any position taken by Ikimi on his membership of the BoT, adding that it could not comment on the issue until he formally notified the party.

He said under Article 12 of the APC constitution, provisions were made for any former national chairman of a major party to be a member of the BoT, adding that it was on this basis that Ikimi was appointed.
The APC spokesman further said as far as the party was concerned, Ikimi would still be regarded as a member of the party but that if rejected his BoT position, then it would be clear that he has opted out of the party.
“We are not aware of his rejection of membership of BoT until he notifies the party formally. Ikimi was not just offered the membership of the BoT, his membership of the board is provided for under Article 12 of constitution, being a former national chairman of a party.
“It is only when he rejects membership of the BoT that we will regard him as having left us. The ball is now in his court,” he said.