THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should zone its presidential ticket to the South in 2027 in the spirit of equity, fairplay and justice, one of the founding fathers of the party Prof. Jerry Gana said yesterday.
He also said that for the opposition party to grow, emphasis should be on youth inclusion.
Gana, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT), spoke on why the party should return to the vision of the founding fathers during the Consultative Conference held at the Nigeria Airforce Conference Center in Abuja.
Party elders were locked in sober reflection on the fate and future of the platform at a pre-National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting where the impact of the recent defections from the party was critically assessed.
The defections are ongoing with seven federal lawmakers defecting to the All Progressives Congress APC during plenary yesterday.
Gana and other party leaders, Acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu said despite the mounting challenges, there is hope for PDP.
Dissecting the various problems facing the party, they said the party should focus on discipline, reconciliation and generational renewal.
Also, a chieftain, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, said PDP would rise again to rebuild the country.
PDP can’t ignore zoning, says ex-minister
Urging the party to restore the zoning principle, Gana said: “In tune with this patriotic wisdom of the founding fathers, we urge all our leaders to support the strategy of bringing out our presidential candidate for 2027 from the Southern states.
“Such a strategy will not only ensure victory at the polls, but promote justice, fairness and equity.”
The former minister also advised the party to choose a credible party leadership in a transparent election at the proposed national convention.
He added, “We must also develop a new focus on empowering the next generation. We reaffirm our commitment to youth inclusion and generational equity, which is very crucial; the PDP must deliberately open the space for younger Nigerians; brilliant, energetic and innovative minds should be allowed to participate actively as leaders within our party structures and as candidates at all levels in the 2027 general elections.
“Their ideas, energy and digital fluency are essential for building the Nigeria we all deserve and our 2027 electoral strategy must elevate young leaders with fresh ideas and proven commitment; we should deliberately mainstream youth and women into our party’s core leadership structure, ensuring that their voices are heard and their contributions are highly valued.”
Damagum said the defections cannot affect the PDP, recalling that it survived similar threats in the past.
He said: “This gathering is more than symbolic, it is a reaffirmation that the People’s Democratic Party is alive, resolute, and focused on reclaiming its rightful place at the centre of Nigeria’s political life. We will not fail. We will rise to the challenge. And yes, the centre will hold again.”
He paid tribute to the founding fathers, including the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chief Solomon Lar, Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, and General Yakubu Danjuma, recalling that the party was “born out of necessity to dismantle authoritarianism and restore democratic governance.”