The intrigue playing in the opposition PDP over the zoning arrangement and the zone that will produce the national chairman is interesting and revealing.
According to initial reports, the chairmanship slot had been zoned to the South and already names of possible contestants have been circulating. However, that is no longer the case, according to the recent decision by the party’s committee in charge of zoning, the various party positions are in readiness to the party’s national convention. Northern PDP members, where the position is zoned, are now jostling for it.
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To me, the PDP members in the south , like the French Bourbons in the 18th century, have learnt nothing and forgotten nothing. They should grab the opportunity at hand, which according to an adage is like a bird at hand is worth thousands in the bush.
They are banking on encouraging the party to zone presidential ticket of the party to the South. This is risky as there is no written agreement on zoning but rather it is a gentleman’s agreement to foster unity, inclusiveness and create a sense of belonging in the entire members of the party and the nation as a whole. With the glaring ambition of the north to retain the position of president in the north, the southern members should not have toyed with the chairmanship position of the party.
Since there is no law mandating PDP to zone the presidential seat to the South, at the end of the day, both chairman and presidential candidate can come from the North and heaven will not fall. Therefore, it is imperative for the southern PDP members to go back to the drawing board and restrategise for the sake of the peaceful co-existence of Nigeria and PDP.
Adewuyi Adegbite can be reached through [email protected]
