2023: Reject PDP If it jettisons zoning, lawyer tells South East voters

An Abuja-based lawyer and Senatorial candidate of Imo East Senatorial election in the 2019 general election, Mr Chyma Anthony, has called on voters in the South East to reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the party fails to zone its presidential ticket to the South.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had said the 37-member zoning committee of the party will present their report to National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, adding that it is the NEC that has the final say on the
zoning of positions.

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Reacting to the development, Mr Anthony accused the PDP of trading the interest of the south and in particular the people of the South East who have been loyal supporters of the party since 1999.

Anthony accused the party of ingratitude, adding that the South East had in the past voted overwhelmingly for the PDP and should not be traded off for the selfish interest of some groups.

He stated that the people of the region cannot be cowed into accepting an open contest for the PDP presidential ticket in order to satisfy the “greedy yearnings” of a few stakeholders.

Anthony, therefore, urged the people of the South East to reject the PDP and go with any other political party that considers their interest.

He said if this development is coming from the APC, it will be understandable as the South East has voted minimally for the ruling party.

He said: “As far as I am concerned, there are no cogent argument for the presidential candidate of the party not be zoned to the South, I wonder why the PDP has decided to jettison zoning when on popular demand it is the turn of the South and particularly the South East, to produce the next president of Nigeria.

“It is our love for PDP that blinded us so much that despite our brothers, Late Dr Chuba Okadigbo, and Late Chief Ume-Ezeoke, being chosen by President Muhammadu Buhari as running mates in 2003 and 2007 respectively under ANPP, we still did not show the actual solidarity that we should.”