2027: Fresh crisis looms in PDP over zoning formula

THE crisis of confidence in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appears far from over as discussions surrounding the party’s zoning formula for the 2027 general elections seem to be creating another gulf among southern leaders of the party.

Yesterday, some Southern stakeholders of the PDP described as illegal a consultative meeting of the party’s zoning committee in Lagos State.

The stakeholders include State Chairmen of the PDP, former Governors, National Assembly members, serving and former National Working Committee, NWC, members, among others.

Their decision was contained in a statement by the state chairmen of Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers, Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Venatius Ikem, Aniekan Akpan and Aaron Chukwuemeka, as well as the National Vice Chairman (South-East), Mr. Chidiebere Goodluck and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr. O. Chinda.

Others were Senators Igwe Nwagu; Mao Ohuabunwa; George Sekibo; Mike Nnachi; former National Secretary, Onwe Onwe; Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and former Ebonyi State Legal Adviser, Mudi Erhenede.

The PDP leaders dismissed “Any resolutions, communiqués or outcomes purportedly emanating from the meeting as neither binding on, or reflective of the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria,” adding, “decisions reached in secrecy and exclusion cannot and shall not assume the authority of consensus.”

They spoke as PDP leaders okayed the Lagos meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State said the National Executive Committee, NEC, would take a decision on zoning on August 25, adding that the party was taking measures to survive.

Exclusion of critical stakeholders
The statement read, “The attention of the undersigned State Chairmen of the PDP from the South and some critical stakeholders has been drawn to a meeting ‘nicodemously’ summoned in Lagos, yesterday, by some persons purporting to do so on behalf of PDP members of the South tagged ‘PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit’ convened by the Admin Secretary, Zoning Committee of the PDP at the behest of the Chairman Zoning Committee (Governor Duoye Diri) at Ikeja, Lagos.

“The said meeting was allegedly convened in the name of the three geo-political zones of Southern Nigeria — South-East, South-South and South-West.

“It is highly regrettable and indeed deeply disturbing that such a meeting was convened without the courtesy of inviting several state chairmen from the South-East and South-South, as well as the duly elected National Secretary and Deputy National Legal Adviser of our great party. Even more troubling is the inexplicable exclusion of several national officers, eminent leaders and critical stakeholders of the PDP.

“Equally concerning is the deliberate omission of most former governors from the South-East and South-South, who, by every standard of history, pedigree and institutional memory, remain critical stakeholders in any conversation about the future direction of our party.

PDP won’t go into ‘gutter’ with Wike — Makinde
Speaking on the criticisms and outcome of the meeting, Governor Makinde said the PDP would not reduce itself to the “gutter level” of a serving minister.

Makinde said this in Lagos during the stakeholders meeting of the zoning committee.

Asked if the issue of micro zoning was discussed, he said: “A decision is coming and it is a NEC decision. This consultative meeting is not something that is statutory in the constitution of the PDP. But democracy is inclusivity, reaching out and ensuring that all stakeholders are carried along, which is what we’ve done today.”

On when a decisive decision on zoning should be expected, he said: “NEC is on Monday. Today is Thursday. Our NEC is on Monday, you will definitely have a decision.”

On the issue of the South producing the next PDP presidential candidate, Makinde said: “We haven’t even gotten there.

We need to have a party first before you start talking about presidential candidates. If we don’t have a party, anything that you’re trying to do will fall flat. So, our efforts right now are directed towards having a united PDP that Nigerians will be proud of and again will believe in.”

Ensuring survival
Insisting that the party is focused on ensuring its survival, Makinde said: “We have just finished the consultative meeting of the PDP zoning committee for the south. The South has taken far-reaching decisions, and in the days ahead leading to our NEC, wider consultations will also take place, and we are sure that those that have been saying all around that PDP is dead and is now a carcass, at least with the caliber of the people that you’ve seen here, sitting governors, former governors, leaders and elders, the former senate president, chairman of BOT, are all here and committed to PDP taking back its rightful position in Nigeria. So in the days ahead, some of the things discussed here, you’ll see them unfold.

“Governor Ademola Adeleke came back into this country and he went straight to Osogbo to address some governance issues. But he said whatever we decide here, he is with us.

“Governor Diri is here. Governor Peter Mbah, who couldn’t make it physically, sent the deputy governor. You have the chairman of our board of trustees here. You also have at least 12 of the 17 members of the zoning committee from the South. It’s one per state. So, you have 12 states here. From each zone, you have House of Representatives members here.

You have senators from each of the three zones in the South. You have BoT members from the three zones in the South.

So, yes, I won’t say maybe the organisers will score 100 percent. You don’t score 100 percent in politics and quite frankly, they are members of PDP. Consultation means you keep reaching out. We will also reach out and engage and even do more. We’re trying to get all stakeholders, all tendencies in the PDP together so that we can give a credible alternative to Nigerians in the years ahead.”

On the statement made by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike saying that the South-South Zonal Chairman, Dan Orbih, must not be removed, Makinde said: “Personally, when people go low or go into the gutters, I don’t go with them.”

Aggrieved members
Asked the efforts being made to reach out to aggrieved members, he said: “We will reach out to them. That is democracy.

I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching. In Oyo State, they showed last Saturday that PDP is not dead. In most other places of the 12 states, PDP came second in each of those.

It’s some indication to us that if we continue to work hard, if we continue to strive hard, if we continue to bring our people together, we’ll get to a point where Nigerians will really start listening to us.”

Other notable PDP leaders present at the meeting include immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom, Udom Emmanuel; former PDP deputy national chairman, Bode George, BoT chairman, Adolphus Wabara, Senator Ben Obi, and former Ebonyi Governor Sam Egwu.

Lagos meeting in order
Down-playing the criticisms, some PDP countered that the Lagos gathering was legitimate and part of the party’s official processes.

Key PDP figures, who said that the meeting was in line with the party’s structured approach to decision-making include Elder Emma Ogidi, South-South Zonal Caretaker Committee Chairman, and Timothy Osadolor, PDP Deputy National Youth Leader.

Ogidi, who attended the Lagos meeting, said: “Let them disown (the Lagos meeting). That’s their business. We are doing consultations. That’s all.”

On his part, Osadolor argued that the committee had the mandate to deliberate and make recommendations.