Indications are rife that the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have concluded arrangement to zone its presidential candidate to the North and its national chairmanship position to the South.
The PDP zoning committee had on Thursday held a meeting at the Government House, Enugu State.
According to media sources, most of the members of the committee have expressed their support for a Southern national chairman.
A former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; ex-Ondo State PDP governorship candidate, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) and ex-governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, among others are said to be on the list of candidates being considered for the chairmanship post.
Meanwhile, the zoning committee which is headed by Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is expected to announce its resolutions in the coming days.
Should the party’s chairmanship be zoned to the South, the 2023 PDP Presidential ticket would likely go the North. This follows the body language of ruling All Progressives Congress reported to have favoured a Southern presidency as President Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner from Katsina state would have completed his eight years in office by 2023. It was gathered that this informed the decision of the PDP to look the direction of the north for its candidate as it hopes to garner a chunk of northern votes with the move, disregarding the uncertainty that often looms over voters’ behaviour in every election.
Speaking on the zoning debacle, a member of the PDP BoT and the deputy majority leader of the Senate, Senator Abdul Ningi, had explained that PDP is already in the process of making its decision on the zoning.
The PDP chieftain noted that the party has a template on zoning. He explained that the zoning committee would discuss with the party members and get their opinion. Thereafter, the committee would survey the opinion of Nigerians before making its final decision.
The lawmaker stated this while speaking during an interview session with Channels TV on Thursday.
In his words, “This is the modus operandi. This is the attempt. What you need to do as a zonal committee, go more and discuss the various positions occupied by party positions. First, look at where those people are coming from. Secondly, because when you democracy, try to align with the wishes of Nigeria. Let’s also take this issue back to Nigeria to try to compare what you have done in the last thing 16years and what is happening.”
Speaking further, Ningi also explained the only recognised northern president in PDP is late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. According to him, the north had only produced presidential candidate once, adding that PDP is a different party from the APC.
“If you bring Buhari into a PDP matter, you’re not doing justice to the matter. We are a unique party, as far as the PDP is concerned, we have nothing to do with Buhari and APC. Every time I hear a comparison that Buhari has done eight years, is Buhari representing PDP? is this a one party state?” he added.
