By ISMAILA CHAFE

Gov. Dave Umahi of Ebonyi has advised the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to adopt zoning formula in determining new leaders for the 10th National Assembly (NASS).

The governor gave the advice when he addressed State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.

According to him, doing so will ensure equity and balance of power among the geo-political zones of the country.

“I am a party man and I am very committed to a descent process. The party and the President-Elect directed that we shouldn’t talk about that yet but we should all go back and work for the Gubernatorial and Houses of Assembly elections.

“But I believe strongly that zoning must be done by the party.

”It should not allow everybody to jump to the race and when the time comes for zoning they must look at all the parameters in order to carry every region along. This is very important,” he said.

On the chances of the APC in the Saturday governorship and state assembly elections in the South East, Umahi expressed optimism that the APC would win the elections.

“I would first of all like to analyze my State. Although we are going to have an election in three out of the five states in the region.

”Governorship election will be held in Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu, the other two are off season. But there will be House of Assembly election in all the five States.

“In my State (Ebonyi), I have nothing to worry because I think God has done the work for me. Our candidate is going to emerge no matter how desperate the opposition will want to thrive.

“First and foremost, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi has already announced that there is no gubernatorial candidate for the Labour Party in Ebonyi.

“But even if there was a candidate standing for election, he is no match to the candidate of the APC, so I am very sure that we are going to win,” he said.

The governor further disclosed that he used the opportunity of the meeting to congratulate the president over the successful conduct of the presidential election where the APC candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu, emerged winner of the poll. (NAN)

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