The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sunk deeper into crisis over plans by a section of the party to micro-zone its presidential ticket to a particular zone in the south without wider consultations.
Although some stakeholders in the south are clamouring for zoning, there is no consensus on the zone that would produce the candidates among the Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth.
Also, some stakeholders have rejected the agitation for zoning to the South, saying that the ticket should be open to the six zones.
Today, a meeting has been slated for Lagos to discuss the proposal for zoning, with the aim of micro-zoning the ticket to either of the three zones.
The meeting, tagged the “PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit”, was convened by the party’s Zoning Committee at the Legend Hotel, Ikeja.
There are allegations that some chieftains are rooting for micro-zoning to either Southwest or Southsouth.
There have been calls on Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race.
But irked by the micro-zoning move, PDP state chairmen, former governors and National Assembly members disowned the Southern zoning meeting, describing it as divisive and unconstitutional.
PDP House of Representatives Leader Kingsley Chinda said the Lagos meeting has excluded and sidelined critical party leaders.
He told reporters in Abuja that any party meeting where zoning, power rotation and distribution of offices are to be discussed, it should be all-inclusive.
He said, “We dismiss the resolution and outcome of the meeting. It is not binding and not reflective of the opinion of the generality of stakeholders.”
Chinda said any decision reached in secrecy and seclusion cannot be consensus-driven, adding that it would be resisted in accordance with the constitution of the party.
He therefore, urged members of the party to disregard the outcome.
Also, state Chairmen, former governors, National Assembly members, and other key party stakeholders from the South East and South South zones said they were neither invited nor consulted.
In another statement, the state Chairmen of Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers—Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Venatius Ikem, Rt. Hon Aniekan Akpan, and Aaron Chukwuemeka—alongside National Vice Chairman (South-East) Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck and Chinda, said the meeting’s outcomes should not be recognized.
The statement read, “The PDP has always stood for inclusivity, fairness, consultation, and collective decision-making. Any meeting that ignores key leaders and elected officials breaks trust, causes division, and threatens party unity. We therefore, reject any outcomes from this summit as neither binding nor representative of the PDP in Southern Nigeria.
“The meeting is also premature and seems aimed at serving the interests of a few, especially since the Zoning Committee has not yet submitted its report for party approval.”
“We remain fully committed to the unity, stability, and success of the PDP. We urge all leaders and stakeholders to resist any attempts to manipulate zoning through secretive or unfair methods.
“The Southeast and Southsouth, together with the South West, stand united in promoting fairness, justice, and equity. As custodians of our members’ mandate, we will defend the integrity of the party and ensure that any decisions affecting Southern Nigeria are made openly, consultatively, and inclusively.”