Adamawa Progressive Coalition (APC) has told the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to bar the state Governor Bala James Ngilari from contesting the 2015 governorship election because of zoning.

This, they said is because the zoning agreement which was entered into with former acting governor, Hon. Ahmadu Fintiri was no longer tenable in the present situation.

The PDP had recently barred Ngilari who became Governor of Adamawa state about two months ago through a court judgment from contesting the governorship election in 2015 on the grounds that the position has been zoned to Adamawa Central senatorial zone.

Reacting to the development,, leader of the coalition, Arc. Lawrence Mbale told newsmen in Kaduna, that the present circumstances in the state have made zoning unrealistic.

Mbale argued that Ngilari was not part of the agreement on the zoning, adding that it would be unfair to ask him not to contest for the governorship election because of an agreement which he was not part of.

He further said the majority of the people of Adamawa state were in support of the governor contesting in 2015, stressing that the party leadership must not work against the wishes of the people.

His words, “The zoning was done during Fintiri’s time and it is no longer tenable. The present circumstances have dictated otherwise. Mbale discarded the so called zoning arrangement as being in the best interest of the Adamawa people who are overwhelmingly supporting the governor to contest in 2015.

“As a matter of fact, what should even happen in Adamawa state, is to return the sitting governor because he has been deputy governor for seven and a half years now” he said.

He further urged those agitating for the zoning, not to allow the quest for selfish ambition to becloud the popular view of the people of the state.

According to him, “People should follow good and simple reason. Somebody has been deputy governor, under normal circumstances; the deputy governor should succeed his boss. When he was made deputy governor, nobody came out to say whether he was from the northern or southern zone.

“Rules should not be made to deprive others. Rules are supposed to be applied fairly. When that zoning was done, because Fintiri insisted he was going to contest, the party wanted to appease him so that he will not contest for the 2015 election. They made the agreement for him as a proviso not to contest the election in 2015; Ngilari was not part of this agreement.

“The situation changed following the court ruling that brought in the governor. It is only natural that the governor should contest for 2015. It doesn’t call for any argument.”

“For goodness sake, is it the will of the National Working Committee of the party or the will of the Adamawa people that is paramount?”

If the person of Adamawa state decides that the governor should contest, is it not in the best interest of the party for NWC to listen to what the Adamawa people are saying?” Mbale asked rhetorically.