North retains PDP chair as zoning committee submits reports Monday

 The Peoples Democratic Party has resolved to retain the chairmanship of the party in the North, Sunday PUNCH can authoritatively report.

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This follows a recommendation by the zoning committee of the PDP that the 19 national offices of the party in each region be maintained.

A principal official of the party, who is privy to the recommendation of the committee headed by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, disclosed that the report would be submitted and ratified at the National Executive Committee meeting of the PDP on Monday (tomorrow).

The 44-member zoning committee was inaugurated on August 14 in Abuja.

The Acting National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum, while inaugurating the committee, said the panel was constituted to ensure fairness in the allocation of National Working Committee positions.

He explained that the committee’s recommendations would not only determine the distribution of party offices but could also indicate which geopolitical zone might get the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket.

Zoning and PDP crisis

The PDP has long respected zoning rules in allocating party positions, including its presidential ticket.

Zoning has historically shaped the PDP’s electoral fortunes and misfortunes.

Sunday PUNCH noted that the party recently emerged from a crisis that erupted ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The rift began when five governors, led by then-Rivers State Governor and now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, opposed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy.

Although a zoning committee chaired by then-Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had thrown the ticket open, dissenters insisted that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, the South should have been favoured.

The crisis eventually led to the removal of the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, from Benue State.

Following Ayu’s removal, the PDP NWC appointed Damagum as Acting National Chairman on March 28, 2023.

 Damagum hails from Fune Local Government Area of Yobe State.

Maintaining status quo

Sunday PUNCH gathered that after consulting widely with party leaders across the country, the zoning committee agreed to retain NWC positions in their current regions.

Speaking with our correspondent on Friday, a principal member of the PDP who attended the PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit in Lagos on Thursday said, “The zoning committee briefed us on the job given to them at the Lagos meeting.

“They have decided that positions in the North should remain in the North. At this point, when the party is working to unite, it would be cumbersome to start reassigning offices.

“What we decided is to let whatever is in a region remain there, meaning positions in the South stay in the South, and those in the North remain in the North. We were able to agree on that, and it is commendable. I have to credit my party for this decision. There was no tension.

“Then, we also agreed that we should go back to each region to carry out what is called macro zoning.”

When asked if the chairmanship of the PDP would be retained in the North, the party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press, said, “Yes.”

However, he could not confirm if the party would zone its presidential ticket to the South in 2027.

“I think it is possible, but we have not made a decision on that. I pray so,” he added.

He noted that the party must be repositioned before deciding on the presidential ticket.

Another credible source and a chieftain of the party told Sunday PUNCH that a majority of PDP stakeholders were rooting for former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Dr Jerry Gana, to be the next chairman of the party.

Gana, who hails from Busu, Lavun LGA of Niger State, served as minister between 2001 and 2003.

The chieftain said, “I can confirm that the next PDP chairman will come from the North. Let me add that many of our leaders and stakeholders are rooting for Jerry Gana. We are hopeful it works out.”

However, the South-West Chairman of the PDP, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, who was part of the Lagos meeting, said he could not discuss the zoning issue until the recommendations were officially released.

“The zoning committee briefed us on their recommendation, but I can’t speak on it for now. Wait till Monday,” he said.

Similarly, the spokesperson for the party, Debo Ologunagba, did not respond to calls when contacted.

Meanwhile, the Forum of Peoples Democratic Party Youth Leaders on Saturday appealed to the National Working Committee of the party to ensure that all zones concluded their congresses ahead of the forthcoming convention to guarantee a hitch-free exercise.

The appeal was contained in a resolution issued and signed by the South-West PDP Youth Leader, Seyi Bamidele, after the forum’s meeting.

The group also demanded total reconciliation of all warring factions within the party to foster unity and harmonisation across every section.

Calling on all members to work collectively towards the success of the forthcoming national convention, the forum stressed that their involvement was necessary to ensure that every stakeholder, including those determining the date and venue, was carried along.