Presidency 2023: PDP sabotages South on zoning

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may have sabotaged the demand for zoning the 2023 president to the south by political and cultural leaders from the region. Leaders from the South who include Southern Governors, the Afenifere, PANDEF, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, joined by the Middle Belt Forum leaders, have consistently insisted on zoning of the presidential ticket to the south in 2023.

At the 96th National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting of the PDP on Wednesday, at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja, decided to dump zoning of the presidential ticket. The party in a communique indicted: “After a very extensive deliberation, NEC aligned with the recommendation of the PDP National Zoning Committee that the Presidential Election should now be left open. The Party should also work towards consensus candidate where possible.”

NEC noted the recommendation of the Zoning Committee that in the interest of justice and fair play, the Party should take decision on Zoning timeously so as to prevent complications to the process.

Presidential Primary and National Convention

NEC ratified the conduct of the Presidential Primary (Special National Convention) to elect the Party’s Presidential Candidate on Saturday May 28 to Sunday May 29, 2022, in Abuja.

However, the various PDP presidential aspirants have maintained that they will support whoever emerges at the national convention as the party’s presidential candidate. The aspirants and other party stakeholders insist on the unity of the PDP to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general elections.