The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been warned against jettisoning zoning of presidency to the South, saying it would set the party on way to perdition in the 2023 presidential elections.
The two national grassroots organisations, “The Southern and Middle Belt Alliance (SaMBA) and Peter Obi Support Network (POSN) in a statement released after the PDP NEC aligned itself with the recommendation of the PDP National Zoning Committee that the Presidential Election should be left open, stated that the PDP violated its constitution by failing to zone its presidential ticket.
The groups threatened court action against the party for violating its own constitution on zoning.
The groups said, the latest development by the Peoples in Democratic Party showed that the party has no regard for the People of the South, particularly the South-east and South-south – despite their loyalty to the party since 1999.
The statement signed by Prince Rwang Pam Jnr, and Comrade Sani Saeed Altukry, spokespersons for SAMBA and POSN, reads, “The decision of the National Executive Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday to abandon zoning and throw the presidential ticket open, is not only disheartening to the party faithfuls in the southern region, but also self-destructive to the party being in clear violation of the party’s constitution.
“The PDP Constitution at Chapter One, Section 7(3)(c) clearly provides as follows *“…in pursuant of the principles of equity, justice, and fairness the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices, and it shall be enforced by the appropriate Executive Committees at all levels”.*
“The PDP constitutional provision implies that after President Muhamamdu Buhari’s eight years in office in 2023, the presidency will rotate to the South.
“It was pursuant to the above constitutional provision that the PDP at their convention made the 2019 presidential primary an all-north affair. The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) did likewise and thus we had a North Vs North (i.e., Atiku Vs Buhari) presidential contest in 2019.
“It is unfortunate that due to the influence of a few greedy party leaders, the PDP has violated its own constitution by throwing the presidential race open to all-comers.
“It is obvious to Nigerians that such party leaders that recklessly violate its constitution will not uphold the nation’s constitution when it comes to power, and therefore cannot be trusted with our commonwealth.
“There is no gain saying that with this decision by the PDP leadership, the party is surely on a path to perdition.
“We hereby call on all southern presidential aspirants to unite and take the party to court on this matter failing which members of SAMBA and POSN that are members of the PDP will assume the responsibility and sue the party over this flagrant violation of its own laws.”
