PDP opts for northern chairman, may throw open presidential ticket

THE Peoples Democratic Party on Thursday altered earlier projections over the zoning of its national party offices.

After a series of meetings, one of which ended in Abuja, on Thursday, the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi-led PDP Zoning Committee, recommended that the position of national chairman be zoned to the north.

The committee’s recommendation is still subject to ratification by the National Executive Committee of the party before it becomes effective.

By convention, the national chairman of the party and the President elected on the platform of the party do not come from the same zone.

Those being touted as possible presidential candidates include Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed. Others include Saminu Turaki (SAN), and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido.

It was gathered that the Ugwanyi -led PDP Zoning Committee succumbed to superior arguments to recommend a swap of party positions between the North and the South.

A usually reliable party source who spoke on condition of anonymity, for fear of retribution said,” With the Chairmanship position going to the north and that of Secretary going to the South, it is becoming clearer where the party’s presidential ticket is likely to go, however, in politics, nothing is cast in stone.

“Don’t be surprised if the race for the presidential ticket is thrown open in line with the recommendation of the Governor Bala Mohammed-led committee which reviewed the 2019 elections.”

Earlier, the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, who read the communique after a meeting of the zoning committee in Abuja, said, “The decision of the PDP zoning committee is in line with the constitution of the party on zoning and rotation of party and national offices in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.

“Consequently, the current  offices being held by officers in the Southern zones of the country, namely, South-West, South-East and South-South zones , should swap places with the offices currently in the Northern zones of Nigeria, namely, North-West, North-East and North-Central zones.”

He explained that the mandate given to the committee “does not include zoning of the offices of the President,  Vice President and other executive and legislative offices of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“And the decision of the committee to zone the party offices does not in any way affect the executive and legislative offices in Nigeria. Zoning of offices in PDP has traditionally been between the North and South of Nigeria.”

Subsequently, other party positions expected to be filled by northerners include: National Treasurer, Deputy National Woman Leader, National Organizing Secretary, National Legal Adviser and National Youth Leader.

The South on the other hand is to produce the National Secretary, National Publicity Secretary, National Financial Secretary, National Auditor and National Woman Leader.

Thursday’s meeting was attended by the deputy chairman of the committee and governor of Benue state, Samuel Ortom, Deputy Governor of Zamfara State and secretary of the committee, Aliyu Mahdi, ex- Senate Presidents, Anyim Pius Anyim and David Mark among several other party leaders. PUNCH

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