The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is split over zoning. Although the National Executive Committee (NEC) has zoned the presidential slot to the South, the three northern zones are kicking. In the South, the camp of Nyesom Wike has also objected to the micro-zoning of party offices ahead of the November 15 convention. Deputy Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the hurdles before the main opposition party ahead of 2027 polls.
There is no political party in the country that is insulated from crisis. It may be due to the fact that politics, usually, is characterised by conflicts. But, it appears the most troubled and crisis-ridden today is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is able to manage its crisis, being the party in power with a formidable and towering national leader as president. Also, the crisis resolution mechanism appears strong and effective.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is the PDP faction, that revolves around former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had borrowed, is ailing. Old members are resisting the defectors. The party is not able to enlarge its coast, with Its spead and reach being restricted to the faction that dropped out of the mainstream PDP.
The Labour Party (LP), like an amoeba, has no taproot. It is always lurking in the corner, looking for borrowers, who would adopt the platform and dump it after election. Crisis-ridden, devoid of focus and lacking an effective leadership, it groans in pains.
The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso may not been looking for allies beyond its so-called stronghold, Kano State.
Yet, the outcome of the recent by-elections showed that PDP cannot be totally dismissed with a wave of the hand. Currently, it is weak. But it has the chance of bouncing back, if the stalwarts close ranks and agree on strategies.
There is no evidence to suggest that the gladiators in the party can unite ahead of the next general election.
Two issues that have polarised the party are micro-zoning of party offices, and zoning of the presidential ticket.
The 102nd NEC meeting in Abuja on August 25 zoned the 2027 presidential ticket to the South and the national chairman to the North.
The Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who read the NEC resolutions, said: “Having retained the position of National Chairman in the North, the presidential ticket of the party for the 2027 general elections is hereby zoned to the Southern region.
“The zones should immediately micro-zone positions within its zones for implementation.”
BoT member Chief Olabode George, who hailed the decision, said the mistake of the past has been corrected. “Zoning will bring unity and ensure fairness and justice, and remove the fear of domination, marginalisation and exclusion,” he added.
However, the camp of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), rejected micro-zoning. Former Benue State Governor Sam Ortom, a member of the group, reiterated its objection, saying: “There should be no micro-zoning of offices, beyond the general zoning formula already adopted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to maintain peace and stability.”
Besides, the camp demanded the cancellation of micro-zoning as one of the conditions for a hitch-free national convention.
Presidential rotation or zoning, which is perceived as a long standing tradition in the party, is now a bone of contention. The protagonists believe that it would foster equity, fairness and justice while giving every zone a sense of belonging. Although the party split over the neglect of zoning in 2023, the option is failing to measure up as a corrective strategy ahead of 2027.
Historically, PDP has always voiced zoning, not as a constitutional provision, but based on convention or tradition. But, there was never a time the party adhered strictly to the method in the last 26 years. For example, in 1999 and 2003, former Vice President Alex Ekwueme competed for the ticket when majority had tilted support towards Olusegun Obasanjo.
In 2007, chieftains from the South and North unfolded their ambitions before Umaru Yar’Adua was eventually picked.
In 2023, stalwarts from almost the geo-political regions battled for the ticket till the eve of the convention when some aspirants withdrew from the race.
What is striking is that while the refusal of the party to zone the ticket to the South polarised the platform and contributed to its defeat in 2023, zoning to the South ahead of 2027 is also dividing the party.
Party sources said there is no agreement on zoning because there was no wider consultation before it was adopted. Therefore, northern zones believe that they are being alienated, sidelined and marginalised. Also, it is believed that zoning was a key factor in Atiku’s defection because his group prempted the party leadership.
The Northcentral is particularly bitter. On Wednesday, North Central support groups for Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim’s 2027 presidential bid, rejected the party’s position on zoning at the PDP Secretariat in Jos, capital of Plateau State.
The protesters, who came from Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, described the zoning decision as “a blatant disregard for fairness, equity and justice.” According to the aggrieved members, the move smacked of internal sabotage, adding that only elements loyal to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or “moles within the PDP” could have orchestrated the “undemocratic act.”
“The North Central has always stood by the PDP, yet we are now being denied the opportunity to produce the president. This is not only unfair but also dangerous for the unity of our party and the country,” their spokesman said.
In their opinion, the country needs a competent leadership rather than sectional arrangements. They maintained that prioritizing geographical zoning over merit risks deepening divisions and weakening national unity.
Reaffirming their commitment to Hashim’s presidential ambition, the groups said: “We believe Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has the vision, leadership skills, and character to lead Nigeria to peace, stability, and prosperity. His emergence as PDP’s presidential candidate will open a new chapter for the country.”
Although popular four years ago, zoning is now a divisive and destabilising issue in PDP. Its resurrection, in the opinion of the antagonists, is “simply regressive,” adding that it ignores inclusivity, fairness and merit over sectional arrangements.
To Olawepo-Hashim, who has declared his intention to run for president, the party should have a rethink. “Zoning is unlawful; I’ll contest for the presidency,” he said in a statement, adding: “It is unpopular and driven by selfish interests.”
Olawepo stressed: “That purported NEC decision was organised by a few people for selfish reasons. It is illegal and unpopular, as you can see from the deluge of protests from party members across the country.
“The Electoral Act 2022 does not empower political parties to impose conditions such as zoning on aspirants beyond what is expressly provided in the Nigerian Constitution. Even the ruling APC avoided being trapped by zoning controversies. The PDP should correct “the grave error.”
Hashim has consistently maintained that only a president chosen on the basis of competence and patriotism can fix Nigeria’s challenges. He stressed that historical precedent in the PDP supports an open presidential contest.
“Even in 1999, when there was strong sentiment for accommodating the South-West due to the annulment of June 12, candidates from the North such as Alhaji Abubakar Rimi were not barred from contesting. The same happened in 2002, when President Olusegun Obasanjo, then a sitting president, faced aspirants from the North like Chief Barnabas Gemade and Alhaji Abubakar Rimi,” he recalled.
Hashim also cited Nigeria’s voting history as evidence that zoning is unnecessary.
He said: “On June 12, 1993, the great people of Kano set ethnicity aside and voted for Chief M.K.O. Abiola against Alhaji Bashir Tofa, their kinsman. More recently, in the 2023 elections, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won in Northern Nigeria against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a Northern candidate, yet lost his home state Lagos to a candidate from another zone. This shows Nigerians are capable of making political decisions without bowing to ethnic or sectional instincts.”
In Kano, a party chieftain, Aminu Bala Wudilawa, told Freedom Radio that political trends in the North favour competence and capacity over sectional arrangements. He alleged that only a few politicians eyeing the vice presidential slot were pushing for zoning to the South.
“It is null and void and a violation of both the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. Section 84(3) of the Electoral Act explicitly states that no political party can impose additional conditions on aspirants beyond what is provided for in the constitution.
“Zoning has no legal basis; it is at best a gentleman’s agreement. The constitution guarantees every qualified Nigerian the right to aspire to any office, and PDP cannot take that away,” Wudilawa stressed.
Echoing Olawepo-Hashim, he recalled that in 1999, despite zoning, Obasanjo faced stiff competition at the PDP primary and in 2003, he was challenged by northern politicians, including the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and Barnabas Gemade.
Wudilawa pointed out that the PDP National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, recently told the BBC Hausa Service that the NEC resolution would not bar any northerner from contesting the presidency.
Describing zoning as,a joke, he said: “We are calling on all interested northerners not to be discouraged. The contest should be open, democratic and fair. The PDP belongs to all the six zones.”
A group, the Cultural Middle Belt Renaissance Forum (CMRF), urged the party leadership to revisit the contentious issue. It warned that zoning has implications for the party’s popularity and relevance, particularly in the Middle Belt.
The General Secretary, Prince D.I. Onucheyo, said PDP should embrace a more inclusive approach, recognising the region’s ability to generate leaders capable of moving the country forward.
He described zoning as a betrayal of the Middle Belt’s justifiable hopes for political leadership and representation.
Onucheyo said the Middle Belt region has credible, visionary, and seasoned leaders with the requisite experience, integrity, and innovative ideas to steer the affairs of the country.
He added: “The Middle Belt deserves better. Nigeria deserves better. It’s high time our political leaders recognised the region’s potential and allowed us the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s leadership.
“We stand united in our resolve to ensure that the voices of the Middle Belt are heard and respected in the corridors of power. We will not stand idly by while decisions that affect our collective future are made without our input. The demand for a presidential ticket is not just about political representation, but also about recognizing the region’s potential and contributions to Nigeria’s development.”
The forum said the PDP’s decision to zone the presidential ticket to the South without consulting the Middle Belt region meant that it is not bothered about the support of the region.
