By Samuel Aruwan
Kaduna
There are indications that former member of House of Representatives, Hon. Bala Barnabas Bantex, from Southern Kaduna, is under pressure to join the battle for the chairmanship office of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Kaduna state, a credible source told Blueprint yesterday.
Already the PDP state chairman, Abubakar Haruna, had been picked from same Southern Kaduna Senatorial District as a basis of consolidation, while those opting to zone APC leadership to Southern Kaduna preferred the option as basis of uprooting PDP in 2015 battle.
An APC leader in the state, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “It is true, we are studying that option as against the backdrop that aspirants from all zones are vying for the office of state chairman. But there is a committee that was headed by Vice Admiral Ibrahim Iko (rtd) former Chief of Naval Staff who is our member; their recommendation is that we zone the chairmanship of the party to Southern Kaduna.
“This according to them is viable decision and will serve as a gate way of our party in Southern Kaduna. They also argued that it is a fact that APC has dominance and followership in both Kaduna Central and north and with high rising profile in Southern Kaduna, and so zoning the chairmanship there will sustain the tempo since PDP zoned their chair to the area.”
It is on this premise, the source said, “Bantex is being pressurised to join the race in view of his acceptability and outreach in the southern zone.”
Blueprint could not reach Bantex on phone after several calls. Bantex, a two time chairman of Kaura local government is a prominent grassroots politician and an architect of about 30 years standing.
