2023: APC, PDP reject call by Mamman Daura to jettison zoning

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have rejected calls that political parties should jettison zoning and dwell on competence as a criterion for fielding candidates for the 2023 general election.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Mallam Mamman Daura, said on Tuesday, that there was no need for zoning of presidential ticket to any part of the country.

• What Mamman Daura said about his relationship with Buhari and 2023 Presidency
• PDP asks Buhari to quit over insecurity, corruption

Daura said competence should be given priority in the choice of presidential candidate in 2023.

But the All Progressives Congress (APC), the political party upon which President Buhari reached his political pinnacle, rejected the call.

The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, told our correspondent in a telephone chat on Wednesday that the party would do its zoning at the appropriate time.

“That is Mamman Daura’s pinion.

“Everybody has their own opinion and right to say ‘this is how I want the system to go’.

“Everybody can come up with his view.

“We have different people who have come up with different opinions on this matter.

“But it is not a big deal.

“At the appropriate time, the party will sit and do its zoning formula, just like any other party.

“So, it is not a problem,” the APC said.

Similarly, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, said Daura’s opinion or call is not binding on the party.

“It is his personal opinion and it is not binding on the PDP as a party.

“The PDP is an organised party which appreciates zoning.

“So, at the appropriate time, we shall come up with our zoning formula which will define where the national chairman will come from and where our presidential candidate will come from,” he said.

• Rational Presidency

Malam Mamman Daura spoke about his relationship with the president and the 2023 presidency, suggesting that qualification should be prioritised against the tribe of candidates.

He spoke in an exclusive interview, which the Hausa Service of the BBC released some excerpts on its morning programme on Tuesday which was monitored by Daily Trust.

Mamman Daura said, after trying rotational presidency for three consecutive times, Nigeria needs to consider qualified candidates regardless of the region the candidate comes from in 2023 presidency.