PDP throws 2023 presidential ticket open, abandons zoning
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday night resolved to throw its 2023 presidential ticket open to all the six geopolitical zones in the country.
The party took the decision at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
According to Ripple Nigeria, the meeting was convened to consider among others the report of the party’s zoning committee headed by the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced this after the meeting in Abuja.
He said the decision aligned with the recommendation of the party’s zoning committee.
He said: “After a very extensive deliberation, NEC aligned with the recommendation of the PDP national zoning committee that the presidential election should now be left open.
“The party should also work towards consensus where possible.”
The NEC’s decision effectively ended the debate on the zoning of the PDP ticket.
There were insinuations last month that the opposition party had jettisoned the zoning idea and opted to throw the ticket open to all the aspirants to test their strength at this month’s presidential primary in Abuja.
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, ex-Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, and other aspirants from the southern part of the country had been unrelenting in their push for the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to the region.
Some leaders and other stakeholders in the country, including the Southern and Middle Belt Forum (SMBLF) had also threatened to withdraw their support for any party that refused to zone its ticket to the southern part of the country next year.