AAHEAD of the 2027 presidential election, some members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Executive Committee have expressed diverse views on whether the party should abide by the provision of its constitution on zoning or allow the rule of the majority to prevail.
As Ex-Vp Atiku Abubakar is expected to move out of the party, this is also coming against the backdrop of recent advice to the leadership of the party by one of its chieftains, Olabode George, who stated that for the PDP to stand a chance of forming the next government, it should respect the principle of zoning and pick its presidential candidate from the south.
Speaking recently with our correspondent, George stated that the rotation of elective offices was envisaged by the founders of the PDP as a panacea to the needless agitation for power among the ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria.
Speaking with this newspaper on the subject matter, a NEC member of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi, agreed with George, stating that taking a position on zoning ahead of the 2027 election was very important.
“If there is a general consensus that the national chairmanship of the party should stay in the north, then our presidential candidate will have to come from the south. I think there is a zoning committee to guide the party, and this will help greatly in the convention planned for the later part of this year,” he stated.
Odeyemi, who served as the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party during the administration of Uche Secondus, also called on the party to reconcile with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
“Apart from zoning, the party needs to reconcile with Wike. Let us sit down with him, collate his grievances and find ways to address them. It is not enough to be asking who does Wike think he is because that will only intensify the divisions among us.
“Wike needs the party as much as the party needs him. I do believe that if we reconcile with him, our party will be stronger for it. He is angry, but we need to listen to him and do the right thing. Reconciliation is part of the processes used in building and stabilising political parties,” Odeyemi said.
However, Goerge’s position did not sit well with the incumbent Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, Timothy Osadolor.
In an interview with our correspondent, the Benin-born politician said, “I do not believe we need to stifle democracy. We are where we are today because of our inclination to promote ethnic and religious sentiments.
“There is nothing wrong with the south producing our presidential candidate in 2027 if NEC agrees with this and the position is ratified at an elective convention.
“However, democracy must be about the people, and must be allowed to win. The PDP should be thinking of who can help Nigeria to solve its problems, regardless of where such a person comes from.
“Today, many Nigerians see Bola Tinubu as a Yoruba President because of the lopsidedness of his appointments, just like his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari did. There are capable hands in the south and members of our party who can take this country to new heights, but we have to decide what is good for us,” he said.
The party’s position on zoning is likely to be top on the agenda of the PDP if it succeeds in holding its 100th NEC meeting billed for June 30 in Abuja.