2023: PDP zoning committee considers south for national chairmanship

Barring last-minute changes, the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Zoning Committee is set to recommend the zoning of the national chairmanship position to the South, it was gathered Thursday night.

The national caucus of the party had slated October 30 – 31, 2021 for the party’s national convention which will produce a new National Working Committee (NWC).

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The 94th National Executive Committee (NEC) had named Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State as chairman of the party’s convention committee and Ugwuanyi as the chairman of the zoning committee.

Daily Trust had exclusively reported that the party will pick its presidential candidate for the 2023 elections from the northern part of the country and zone its chairmanship position to the South.

A source in the committee told Daily Trust at the end of their meeting yesterday in Enugu that more than half of the 44-member panel supported the zoning of the chairmanship position to the South.

The source said all the northern and South West members of the committee threw their weight behind the zoning of the chairmanship position to the South.

“With this, the coast is clear for the South to pick the chairmanship. The decision would be announced next week Thursday,” the source said, pleading not to be named.

Addressing newsmen after the closed-door meeting held at the Government House, Enugu, Ugwuanyi, said that “we had a fruitful meeting and we adjourned to conclude next week”.

Earlier in his welcome address, the governor clarified that the committee has no mandate to zone political offices such as president or vice president.

“Our committee is strictly limited to the PDP National Executive Offices to be contested at the 2021 convention. We have no mandate to zone political offices such as president or vice president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

Meanwhile, over 6,000 delegates will attend the October 30-31 national convention of the PDP at Eagle Square, Abuja.

Fintiri, said this Thursday while fielding questions from journalists after inaugurating 15 sub-committees at the Legacy House, Abuja.

The Adamawa governor, who said the committee was adequately prepared for the convention, dismissed the report of leadership crisis in the party.