Despite the resolution of the Southern Governors’ Forum last year, known as the Asaba Declaration, that the region should produce Nigeria’s next president and repeated calls by leaders of thought in the Southeast, making a case for the region, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) committee on zoning, yesterday, recommended that the contest for the party’s presidential ticket be thrown open to aspirants from any part of the country.
At its final meeting, which lasted for four hours in Abuja, the 37-member committee, led by Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, however, said it would not make its decision known to the public.
It said it can only report its decision to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party for it to in turn inform Nigerians of their decision. The party is yet to fix a date for the NEC meeting.
But a leaked document showed that the committee recommended as follows: (1) Zoning, as in our party’s constitution, is affirmed; (2) Inspite of (1) above, ticket is thrown open, this time around due to exigency of time; (3) Our party is encouraged to always make the issue of zoning very clear at least six months before sales of forms; (4) Our party should commend the efforts of some of our contestants on the issue of consensus candidacy; the efforts should be seen to a peaceful and logical conclusion.
According to sources who were at the meeting, the decision to throw the contest open was taken to comply with the principles of fairness and justice.
“Many members of the committee were of the view that because the party had already sold nomination forms to presidential aspirants across all zones, it is completely unfair to turn round to zone many of them out of the contest,” a source told The Guardian.
Other members who argued in favour of throwing it open drew attention to the voting pattern in the 2019 presidential election as published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that places that recorded higher votes, especially for the party, should not be ignored.
Immediately the meeting was concluded at the Benue State governor’s lodge, some party leaders loyal to some aspirants, particularly those in support of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal were seen in high spirit.
It was also learnt that the committee resolved that zoning of the other offices should be allowed to flow from the zone that produces the President after the election.
When leaders of the panel were ready to brief journalists at the end of the meeting, it took some time for the governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to join them at the media conference. His face was not as bright as the faces of former Jigawa governor, Sule Lamido and former Senate leader, Abdul Ningi.
Ortom told journalists: “We have just finished our meeting and 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 the teaming supporters of PDP and Nigerians is that we have resolved and everyone, the 37 members, unanimously adopted the position that we are going to present to NEC.”
Meanwhile, a member of the committee and former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, announced the withdrawal of his membership from the committee. He said his resignation was informed by his decision to contest the 2023 presidential election.
His letter of withdrawal, which was dated April 5, 2022 and addressed to Ortom, reads in part: “I write to formally appreciate the party and all members of this committee. I thank you all for your statesmanship, selflessness and sense of patriotism to our party and by extension our nation in the way you have all handled and comported yourselves so far in deliberations regarding this delicate and sensitive issue/assignment, the zoning of public offices, particularly that of the President.
“I pray the outcome will bring understanding, peace and stability to our party and our country at large. 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. I thank you all and wish you happy deliberation.”
