Some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been advancing arguments why the party should dump zoning at the moment, with surreptitious plans to field a candidate from the north in the 2023 presidential race.
The Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Daar Communications Plc, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, had penultimate week argued that the PDP would need a candidate from the north to win the presidential election and wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023. His comments attracted criticisms from Ohanaeze Ndigbo and others.
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State on Tuesday also joined the debate, saying that Nigeria needs a credible leader irrespective of tribe and religion to pilot the affairs of the country.
Governor Fintiri, Chairman of PDP National Convention Organising Committee, a political ally of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had in a media interaction expressed that Nigeria is plagued currently with a series of challenges, arguing that zoning would not solve the country’s problems.
According to Fintiri: “The problem of Nigeria is not about zoning, it is for us to look for a credible candidate. Anywhere that person comes from, irrespective of his religion or tribe.
“What you and I are after today is to have a good leader that will be able to deliver on our economy, security that will impact on human development, and deploy the kind of infrastructure that we need.”
The Adamawa Governor noted that the PDP has learnt its lessons since the loss of the 2015 general elections, adding that the party is repositioning to take over power in 2023 towards addressing the aspirations of Nigerians.
Several mobilization groups have been on duty galvanizing support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2023 presidential race. The former vice president contested the 2019 presidential election but lost to incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC. There are strong indications that Atiku is coming back for the 2023 presidential race on the platform of the PDP.
Some other PDP presidential aspirants from the north include former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwanwkaso of Kano State, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, etc.