By TEMIDAYO AKINSUYI

Ahead of the 2023 presidential election, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has rejected moves by some powerbrokers in the party to dump the existing zoning arrangement and throw the presidential ticket open to all aspirants both in the North and South.

Speaking in a chat with DAILY INDEPENDENT, Alhaji Tunde Balogun, the State Chairman of the party, said it will amount to changing the goalposts in the middle of the game if the zoning arrangement is jettisoned now when President Muhammadu Buhari is almost completing his tenure in office.

Warning that dumping the zoning arrangement now may cause crisis within the party, Balogun advised that the gentleman’s agreement reached by the founding fathers of the party must be strictly adhered to in the spirit of Justice, fair play, and equity.

His words: “It is not possible for the ticket to be thrown open. We have founding fathers of this party and based on their agreement at their meetings then,President Muhammadu Buhari was able to pick the ticket after it was zoned to the North.

“So, now that he is completing his eight years, how can we now begin to change the goalposts in the middle of the game by saying the ticket should be thrown open to both North and South?

“It has been agreed then that the zoning arrangement should continue in 2023, which means it has to come to the South.

“Talking of throwing the ticket open doesn’t show fairness and justice. In order not to create problems for ourselves, it is just wise for us to abide by our agreements in the spirit of justice and fair play.” (Daily INDEPENDENT)