2023: Why PDP Is Delaying Zoning Of Presidential Ticket

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is considering the possibility of resolving all internal squabbles, reactivating and strengthening its various structures across the country and reforming itself before reaching a decision on zoning of its 2023 presidential ticket, Daily Trust learnt yesterday.

The party fielded its February 23, 2019 presidential candidate from the North, but his defeat at the polls has sparked fresh agitations between the North and the South.

Credible sources told our correspondent yesterday in Abuja that the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) was being tactical and meticulous in order not to articulate a 2023 template that would spark crisis and result in mass exodus of the party’s members.

A former member of the NWC from the North East, who spoke with a correspondent in confidence yesterday, said the Prince Uche Secondus-led NWC was creating time for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to reach some key decisions on 2023, especially zoning before the opposition party would act.

“Agitations are already raging as to whether it’s the North or South that will take the ticket. But at the same time, consultations are ongoing on the matter.

“We are trying to avoid a crisis situation after zoning. We are also going to engage our former presidential aspirants in the process. So, we need time to do all these before zoning. Otherwise, there will be crisis of interest and divisions in the party,” he said.

Similarly, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, told our correspondent that the party was committed to “strategic reforms and repositioning” before zoning.

“We have not reached a decision on where our presidential candidate will come from. The other party (APC) understands politics, not governance.

“But what we are concerned about now is reform to further reposition our party ahead of 2023,” he added.

Daily Trust gathered that the PDP was also being conscious of its coming national convention in 2021 to elect a new crop of NWC members who would lead the party into the 2023 polls.