PDP zones 2027 presidential ticket to south

The national executive committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned the presidential ticket for the 2027 election to the south.

Party leaders took the decision during the NEC meeting in Abuja on Monday.

Presenting a communique issued after the meeting, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP spokesperson, said NEC approved recommendations of the zoning committee after “extensive” deliberation.

He said that the existing zoning arrangement for NWC positions would remain in place for the national convention in November to elect a new national working committee (NWC).

“That all PDP national office positions currently in the northern region of the country remain in the northern region,” he said.

“That all PDP national office positions currently in the southern region of the country remain in the southern region.

“That having retained the position of the national chairman in the northern region of the country, the presidential candidate of the party for the 2027 general election is hereby zoned to the southern region.

“That the regions should immediately micro-zone positions within its region for implementation.”

The NEC expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness across the party’s organs, chapters, and structures for the 2025 elective national convention, which is scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo state, on November 15 and 16.

The NEC also received update from the PDP constitution amendment committee and directed the committee to circulate the draft to various organs and chapters of the party for further inputs.

‘BYE-ELECTION MILITARISED’

The NEC claimed that the last week’s bye-election was fraught with vote-buying and intimidation and heavy deployment of security personnel.

“The NEC condemns the resort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to State Capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country,” the communique reads.

“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarisation of the recent by-elections, especially in Kaduna and Taraba states as well as Zamfara state, where excessive security agencies were deployed to conduct the run-off election in only five polling units in Kaura Namoda south state constituency.

“NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of APC’s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian one-party state which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.”

The party said it is committed to democracy and defending the interests and well-being of all citizens, and working hard to regain power in 2027.

The NEC fixed October 15 for its next meeting.

The zoning decision puts to rest speculations and agitations over the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 elections.

Some party stakeholders, including Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), had demanded the zoning of the presidential ticket to the south.

The party’s decision to throw open the presidential ticket for the 2023 election, despite calls to zone it to the south, triggered a crisis that has lingered to this day.