There is an uneasy calm in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over an apparent plan to throw the presidential ticket open to all.
Some presidential aspirants are allegedly pushing for an all-comers contest.
This, they believe is part of the new scheming to shortchange the Southwest.
It was gathered that part of the anti-Southwest agenda is the plot to drag ex-President Goodluck Jonathan into the race with two Northwest governors as arrowheads.
But some influential Northerners have insisted on zoning the presidency to the Southwest in appreciation of the backing of the zone for the power shift to the North in 2015.
Only Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello from the North has indicated an intention to run.
A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Ordinarily, there is no point keeping the leaders and members of APC in suspense on the zoning formula for the presidency and other offices but there is internal politics.
“With the party’s National Chairman coming from the North and the presidency in the North for seven years, it was taken for granted that the South will produce the next presidential candidate of the party.
“But some forces are trying to change the rules of the game midway by claiming that the power rotation clause is not in the APC Constitution.
“Some forces in the party are insisting on laying the presidential slot open for all. So far, three aspirants have indicated interest from the North but only Governor Bello has obtained the nomination form.”
