Ayu Cautions Against Bitter Debate Over Zoning Of PDP Presidency

National chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged party leaders to eschew bitterness while debating the contentious zoning of the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 general election. He however admitted that PDP has a history of rotating offices.

Ayu stated this yesterday while inaugurating the 37-member committee on the zoning of the party’s offices. The party on Wednesday unveiled the 37 members which included Chief Bode George, Governor Samuel Ortom, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Sule Lamido among others.

But while addressing the committee yesterday Ayu said PDP has a tradition of discussing every issue including fair distribution of offices.

He said, “We talk, we don’t fight, we resolve issues. There is no issue that is too difficult or too important for the PDP to resolve the spirit of the party.

“Therefore, I urge all of you to discuss this matter. With the same spirit that you discuss at NEC because most of you are members of NEC, you know what happened and you are free to advance your arguments. Let us not have any rancour whatsoever and at the end of the day, remain focused on the main goal.”

He said the main goal is for PDP to win power next year, adding that they can only win power by uniting and working together. “Because even if you are from Ebonyi or Anambra and you fight to be the president of our country through the PDP platform, you pursue it with rancour, even if you win the party nomination, other people will not vote for you. They will not be willing to work for you,” he said.

He noted that if ambition is pursued without bitterness, whoever wins, others will rally round the person and the party will win the election next year, adding that there will be something for everybody and for every constituency in the country.

He urged the party leaders not to lose sight of ensuring party unity which carried PDP through the last convention.

“So, there should be no rancour whatsoever, to remain focused on the bigger picture. Because that is what we want. I believe by the time we have the big prize in our hands, we will share it, we will rotate it the way we want. If we had not been interrupted on this journey, about six years ago, we would have started the same process.

“At the beginning, we pushed the presidency to the south. I was one of those who made that decision. And there are many others here in this hall. After General Obasanjo. We voluntarily sent it to Katsina, faith played a fast one on us. But in the same spirit, after Late Umaru Yar’Adua, sent it to Bayelsa.

“So, PDP has a history of rotating our offices. Anybody who doesn’t get it this time should wait after the tenure of whoever will be our next president. We believe PDP is going to produce the next president once we start this journey this time. We will ensure it goes round. And it will go round with justice, fairness and the interests of Nigeria,” he said.