The Peoples Democratic Party, or PDP, has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, in contrast to 2023, when it threw its ticket open.
This coincides with the party’s founding fathers’ decision from Wednesday.
In addition, the PDP declared that its Elective National Convention would now be held in Ibadan, Oyo State, rather than Kano. This move could further polarise the positions of Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
Makinde’s possible presidential aspirations were seen to be in line with the NEC’s decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
The party’s 101st National Executive Committee, or NEC, meeting Monday in Abuja confirmed the decision.
The action is perceived as a calculated attempt to increase Makinde’s clout within the party, potentially at the expense of Wike and his supporters.
Top PDP leaders convened at the NEC meeting, which was presided over by interim National Chairman Ambassador Iliya Damagum, to discuss important matters impacting party cohesion and electoral preparedness in front of the general elections in 2027.
In spite of recent defections to the African Democratic Congress(ADC), Damagun boasted about the PDP’s success, claiming that many of the defectors were seeking to rejoin the party.
However, Senator Adolphus Wabara, the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), stated that if the party exhibits strong and motivating leadership at its next national convention, many defectors will rejoin.
