Zoning crisis deepens as Ohanaeze, Fayose criticise PDP

The zoning crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is threatening the party’s unity ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Some presidential aspirants on the platform of the party such as former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) are pushing for consensus.

Amid the zoning controversy, it was recently reported that the party has decided to throw its presidential ticket open to all zones.

But the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has argued that the move is meant to deprive the South, particularly the Southeast, of the ticket.

The president of the group, Prof. George Obizor has also described the plan to throw the ticket open as suicidal.

Obizor argued that the PDP is violating the provision of its constitution on zoning and rotation.

He wondered why the PDP decided to jettison zoning when it is the turn of the South and particularly, the Southeast.

He said: “For the purpose of clarity, rotation and zoning principle is engrained in the PDP constitution in 2009. Article 7 (2) © states: ‘In pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness, the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices, and it shall be enforced by the appropriate executive committee at all levels.’

“Such unscrupulous violation of the zoning principle that has been well-entrenched in the PDP constitution simply changes the rules of the game in order to deprive Ndigbo the opportunity to produce a president for Nigeria.”

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose has also faulted the reported plan to jettison zoning by the party, saying the arrangement the party is opting for is undemocratic.

While speaking on Channels TV on Wednesday, April 6, 2022, Fayose, who has obtained his nomination form, said he won’t step down for any aspirant at the primary.

The ex-governor also faulted the alleged decision of the 37-man panel on zoning.

Fayose rejected the idea that the PDP would only give its ticket to an individual that can win the election, saying “some of those ‘who-can-win-election’ politicians are paperweights”.

He also criticised Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Bukola Saraki both of whom are also contesting for president in the PDP.

“With due respect to the former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, what was PDP’s performance in the presidential election in 2019? We only won with 20,000 votes even in Adamawa in his home state. This tells us something fundamental.

“Coming to the former immediate past Senate President, Bukola Saraki, how did PDP perform in the last election in Kwara? We lost. What does that tell us? And in Sokoto, how did we perform?” Fayose said.

However, Benue State Governor, Samuel Orton, the party's Zoning Committee Chairman has clarified that the PDP has not thrown the presidential ticket open.

The party’s National Chairman Dr. Iyorcha Ayu also disclosed on Wednesday that currently, there are 13 presidential aspirants on the platform of the party.

Ayu maintained that all the 13 aspirants would perform better than the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari.