As the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) national convention slated for 30th and 31st October draws closer, it is becomes clearer that the battle is not just about who becomes members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), rather about who flies the party’s ticket in 2023 presidential election. ABDULRAHMAN ZAKARIYAU writes
Ugwuanyi’s zoning arrangement unsettles aspirants
The Chairman of PDP Zoning Committee, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state, a few weeks ago, revealed that “At the end of the deliberations of the PDP National Zoning Committee, it was resolved as follows:
He continued, “The National Zoning Committee of the PDP was given the mandate to zone National offices to be contested by all PDP members of the party at the PDP national convention of the party scheduled for October 30th to 31st, 2021, by the national executive committee of the party.
“That the mandate of 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.
“That zoning of offices on PDP has traditionally been between the North and South of Nigeria.
“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,” Ugwuanyi said.
The action by Governor Ugwuanyi’s committee suggested that PDP may likely zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the south. Expectedly, as learnt by Blueprint, the zoning of the party’s national offices generated heated arguments and even led to a series of ongoing consultations among the party faithful.
Notably, this unsettled many 2023 presidential aspirants in the party, who are politically disturbed that this arrangement may produce a southern presidential candidate.
Presidential hopeful appeal to party leaders
Amidst the uncertainty surrounding the zoning of the PDP presidential tickets, governors and others who are interested in running for 2023 president on the platform of the PDP are strategising to take over the leadership of the party in the forthcoming national convention.
The leading aspirant for the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the PDP, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in a subtle, but calculated move, kicked against zoning, expressing fear that it may unfairly shot them out.
The former Vice President said, “the Peoples Democratic Party has the right to determine its rules on how the party should be governed. The people of Nigeria also have the right to determine who governs them. Where the president comes from, has never been the problem of Nigeria.
“There is no such thing as a president from Southern Nigeria or a president from northern Nigeria. There is only one president from Nigeria, for Nigeria, by Nigerians. Talking about inclusions, I would like to see a new national working committee of our party, our great party that has sizable numbers of our youth and women.
Also, other aspirants like the immediate past president of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto state governor), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta state governor), Nyesom Wike (Rivers state governor) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi State governor) are plotting on how pick the party’s ticket.
Analysts are of the view that because of varying interests the party’s national convention is seen as a battle for the soul of the party. Because it is wildly believed that whosoever controls the structure of the party at the national level stands a better chance to become the party’s presidential candidate in 2023.
Implication of Ayu’s emergence as north’s consensus candidate
Ahead of the PDP National Convention, the northern stakeholders unanimously adopted the former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu as their consensus candidate for the position of National Chairman.
Ugwuanyi committee recommendation made it easy to say that, whosoever emerged as the consensus candidate of the North may become the next National Chairman of the opposition party.
Also, going by the party’s zoning, a few have concluded that Ayu’s emergence has killed the chances of Saraki and other Northerners that are aspiring to become the party’s candidate.
However, Blueprint gathered that there was an arrangement that favours those who want to fly the party’s ticket in 2023. It was gathered that Ayu agreed to resign if a northerner emerged as the party presidential candidate to give room for a southerner to emerge National Chairman of the leading opposition party.
Interestingly, Ayu’s emergence may favour northern calculations, but it was also gathered that a South-South governor was the one who at first identified and even approached the Benue state governor to support him to emerge. Therefore, it is safe to say that Ayu remains a bride to both Southern and Northern politicians who are aspiring to be president in 2023.
New NWC to determine fate of Bala’s zoning committee’s recommendation
A few months ago, the governor of Bauchi state, Senator Bala Mohammed’s led committee saddled with the responsibility to review the party’s performance in 2019 had earlier recommended that the 2023 presidential ticket be thrown open.
Though, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan recently disclosed that the National Executive Committee (NEC) shall at a later date revisit Governor Bala Mohammed committee’s recommendation on zoning.
However, political observers are of the view that the new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) expected to emerge at this October national convention would determine whether the Bala’s committee zoning recommendation would see the light of the day.
A few also added that any of the aspirants eyeing the 2023 presidential ticket that have an influence on the would-be NWC may at the end of the day have the zoning formula work in his/her favour.
Consequently, this national convention is not just an ordinary elective convention, but a convention that will determine the 2023 fate of many politicians. So it is about 2023 political survival.
