Tension is mounting within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as preparations intensify for the 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja scheduled for today. Leaders from the North-Central and North-West geopolitical zones are at loggerheads over which region should produce the party’s next national chairman.
An NEC member representing the Northern block, speaking exclusively to Daily Sun, argued strongly in favour of the North-Central zone, stressing that it had been denied a full tenure since former Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu was removed prematurely. “The North Central was to hold the National Chairman position for four years. But Iyorchia Ayu left after one year, and since then the North-East has held the chairmanship for the past three years. It would be unfair to deny North Central this position again. We won’t allow North West to take it,” he asserted.
The party insider further explained that the PDP can maintain balance on its ticket by selecting the vice-presidential candidate from the North-West, which has the largest population among the Northern zones. “Yes, North Central deserves the chairmanship, and that should be the case. Meanwhile, considering the large population in North West, the vice-presidential slot can come from there. If you award the chairmanship to North West, it’s unlikely they get the vice-presidential spot, which makes the North Central argument logical,” he added.
Following the NEC’s decision on the zoning formula, the Northern PDP caucus is expected to meet to micro-zone the allocated positions within the North to ensure balanced representation among the North-Central, North-East, and North-West zones.
