* Coast now clear for Tambuwal, Saraki, Fayose, other aspirants to contest
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has jettisoned the much-touted zoning policy in the party and stated that all aspirants are now free to contest the presidential ticket of the party and test their popularity.
With this green light, the coast is now clear for Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose and other aspirants to contest the prestigious post.
Sources close to the Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom-led committee on zoning disclosed the development in Abuja on Tuesday.
The 37-man committee met behind closed doors at the Benue Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
The PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) at its 95th meeting, set up the 37-man committee with a mandate to recommend to the party whether or not to zone the 2023 presidential ticket among other elective posts.
The opposition party has disclosed that the committee, with members from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), would come up with a position acceptable to its members especially on the issue of zoning of elective offices.
Speaking to journalists at the end of the committee meeting, Governor Ortom said, “By the Grace of God, we have unanimously adopted a position that will be sent to the NEC of our party that appointed us.
“The good news for teaming supporters of the PDP and Nigerians is that we have resolved and everyone of us-the 37 members, unanimously adopted the position that we are going to present to NEC.”
But the Benue Governor was evasive on whether or not the committee has recommended the jettison of zoning and embrace open contest for all the aspirants
Some of the committee’s recommendations include the “Affirmation of zoning as provided in the PDP constitution; ticket is thrown open, this time around due to exigency of time; Our party is encouraged to always make the issue of zoning very clear at least six months before sales of forms; our party should commend the efforts of some our contestants on the issue of consensus candidacy; the efforts should be seen to a peaceful and logical conclusion.
A source at the meeting also disclosed that voting demography in the 2019 presidential poll won the argument in favour of throwing the ticket open rather than zone to a particular region.
The source said, “Reference was made to the 10 states with the highest turnout of voters in the 2019 election. Of these 10 , 9 were Northern states and only Lagos made the list. Kano, Kaduna, Katsina had the highest number of voters’ turnout while Lagos came a distant fourth.
“The logic here is that aspirants should be allowed to test their popularity at the primary election but if they choose to adopt a consensus approach, that will be acceptable to the party. It is a position members of the committee were comfortable with.”
According to the source, the party zoned its presidential ticket to the North in 2019, arguing that the zone needed to complete its slot following the death on May 5, 2010 of President Umaru Yar’ Adua who spent two years and 11 months only in office. As a result, 12 Northern aspirants gathered in Port Harcourt for the 2018 won by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
But the PDP chieftains from the South have argued that in the spirit of equity, the favour should be returned this time to the South. However founding fathers of the party including Atiku and former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido continue to insist that as an opposition party, the PDP would dim its chances if it excludes a section of the country out of the presidential race.
Meanwhile, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has resigned his membership of the zoning committee.
In a letter sent to Governor Ortom before the commencement of the meeting, Fayose anchored his reason for his resignation on his decision to join the PDP presidential race.
He said, “Having hinted during our last meeting of my intention to run for the office of the president in the coming primary election and by God’s grace, the general election, it will not be morally right to continue to participate in the zoning debate being an aspirant myself.
“Therefore, my state has nominated the bearer of this letter, Dr Gbenga Faseluka to replace me.”
Some of the State Governors at the meeting were: Darius Ishaku (Taraba), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); ex-governors Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).
Others were former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana, former Minister of Special Duties and Inter Governmental Relations, Mr Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and Chairman, PDP Disciplinary Committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, and other party faithful.
