PDP ZoningP: Southern Governors Rejects Leaving Presidential Slot Open

Southern governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have rejected the purported recommendation of the party Zoning Committee that the presidential slot is thrown open for all to contest.

The Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, revealed this to reporters on Saturday morning at the end of an emergency meeting held at the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.

The PDP southern governors, however, demand that the party’s presidential ticket be zoned to the region ahead of the coming polls. They noted that if the party’s leadership left the presidential ticket open, it would be unjust and must be rejected.

The governors noted that the party’s constitution recognises zoning arrangements; therefore, it should be respected by the party’s leadership.

Recall that following the debates and controversies over where the party’s presidential candidate should come from, and the PDP National Working Committee inaugurated the zoning committee on March 24 to address the issue.

The committee led by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had on Tuesday, after deliberations, said members had reached a unanimous agreement on the matter.

However, Ortom declined to speak on the committee’s position, saying a report would be forwarded to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

Some committee members included Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwunanyi of Enugu State, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu, as well as former governors, lawmakers and other party stalwarts.