Will Zoning Debate Bury PDP?

The Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, is facing an uphill task over zoning its presidential ticket ahead of 2023 general elections. The issue of zoning is likely to make or mar the former ruling party chances of winning the election. The two sides, the north and the south, appear to be heading for a collision over the matter.

The  southern governors under the platform of PDP  have continued to demand for the  zoning of the presidential ticket of the party to the south , while l aspirants from the  North are not ready to compromise  their position on producing the party’s number one ticket in 2023.   So far, two aspirants from the north, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki have already purchased forms to vie for the ticket.

The South-South governors are more vociferous in the clamour for the ticket. The governors, at a meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, last week had restated their demand for the ticket. This time, the governors asked that the ticket be micro-zoned to the South -South.

Speaking after the Uyo meeting, Governor Nyesom  Wike of Rivers State   described the zone as the “pillar” holding the PDP. For this reason, he said the South-south should be given the chance to produce the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.

Those conversant with the internal workings of the PDP believe there is one zoning term standing to the credit of the north. They contend that PDP zoned its 2019 and 2023 presidential tickets to the north way back in 2018.

So, in the reckoning of some stakeholders, the north still has one term to claim. They also argue that the zoning arrangement since 1999 has tilted heavily in favour of the south.

In their arithmetic, the south has occupied the PDP presidency for 13 years, with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo taking eight years (1999 to 2003) while Dr. Goodluck Jonathan spent five years (2010 to 2015). They recall that the late Umaru Yar’Adua, who got elected in 2007, died in 2010, spending only three years in office.

They further argued that the north-south equation would still leave the north with a deficit at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year presidency. They said even if Buhari’s eight years is added to the three years that the North got from Yar’ Adua, it would amount to 11 years, against the south’s 13.

While aspirants of northern extraction are making consultations across the country and canvassing support for their aspirations, their counterparts from the south who have so far indicated an interest in the race have not made any significant consultative engagements.

The task before Governor Samuel Ortom led zoning committee is no doubt an ardous one.  Already,  a group loyal to one of the presidential aspirants in the south has called for the disbandment of the zoning committee ,  an indication  that they  lack  confidence in the committee to come out with a better solution. 

The  hope  of PDP to stage a comeback in 2023 would be determined by  its ability to manage  ripples that would emanate  from the  zoning saga. 

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