Ali Modu Sheriff, a former governor of Borno state, has backed out of chairmanship race of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the party’s national convention billed for March 26.
Sheriff who spoke to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, said his decision was due to the party’s zoning arrangement, which ceded the office to north-central.
He said he could not go against the choice of President Muhammadu Buhari, while noting that he would contest if the party decided to throw the contest open between Sunday and Friday.
“Being someone who respects the rule of law and the leaders of the party, the president has taken a position. I have always told you that I will contest if it is zoned to my zone,” he said.
“I respect the president as my leader, and he must have a reason why the national chairman is zoned to the North-central. Therefore I will no longer contest unless the party leadership decides to throw it open between now and Friday.”