Zoning PDP’s Presidential Ticket Undemocratic — Group

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) group in Ondo State on Thursday, described the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the southern part of the country as “undemocratic and unacceptable to the majority of the party members”.

The group under the auspices of Gbenga Hassim Solidarity Movement (GHSM), said the zoning arrangement announced by the party’s leadership would rob the country of qualified and competent people to govern.

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Hon. Adekunle Onaopemipo and made available to LEADERSHIP in Akure, the state capital, the group further described the zoning as laughable, undemocratic, and unacceptable to majority of the members of the party.

The GHSM strongly condemned what it called deliberate attempt by some powerful individuals within the party for allegedly playing the role of undertaker to bury the party ahead of the general election 2027.

The group faulted the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, describing it as a deliberate constitutional breach aimed at foisting a weak candidate on the party.

“It is a deliberate strategy to shut out candidates from the Northern extraction from the race, particularly Dr. Gbenga Hashim, knowing fully well that he has built a formidable structure across the states and a network of supporters across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. He is well known, well educated, experienced, and above all, cannot be bought,” Onaopemipo said.

GHSM further warned that shutting the door against very prominent aspirants such may not only jeopardise the party’s chances in 2027, but could also lead the party not to have a presidential candidate because of possible disqualification by the court of competent jurisdiction.

The group opined that the PDP NEC lacked the legal authority to restrict elective offices to any region, saying this contravenes the provision of the PDP constitution and the constitution of Nigeria, which does not support any form of discrimination against any citizen based on ethnicity, creed, religion, sex, or political opinion.
The group added that PDP did not zone its presidential ticket to the South in an attempt to compensate the Yorubas for the unjust annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which eventually led to the death of the winner of the said election, Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola, in 1999.

Onaepemipo said aspirants from across the country, including Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, contested the 1999 presidential ticket of the party freely.

He stated that zoning should be more of a moral persuasion and not legally binding on either political party or any of its aspirants.

“The movement thereby called on the NEC of PDP to quickly reverse the decision to zone the Presidential ticket to the South to avert ensuing legal action. In the same vein, we call on all our members to remain focused, calm, and resolute in their support for Dr. Gbenga Hashim in the 2027 presidential race,” he said.