No Zoning, Presidential Candidate Is Open For All Regions — PDP Zoning Committee

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Zoning Committee led by Governor Sam Ortom of Benue State recommended the jettisoning of the zoning principle for the 2023 presidential election.

This is despite affirming the initiative as the best way to select its flagbearer.

The committee, which met in Abuja on Tuesday, has resolved to recommend to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), that the position should be open to all interested aspirants from all parts of the Federation because of the exigency of the time.

It posited that the party should endeavour to take a position on the zoning of its presidential ticket at least six months before the commencement of the sale of nomination forms.

After presiding over the meeting of the 37-man committee, Ortom only disclosed that there was a unanimous agreement on the way forward without giving a hint on its decision.

“We have just finished our meeting, after we rose from our meeting last week, today we decided that we would meet and by the Grace of God we have unanimously adopted a position that will be sent to the NEC of our Party that appointed us.

“The good news for our teaming supporters of the PDP and Nigerians is that we have resolved and every one of us, the 37 members unanimously adopted the position that we are going to present to NEC,” he said

But sources close to the meeting volunteered that the committee has indeed knocked out the question of zoning.

The committee resolved ad follows: “Zoning, as in our party constitution, is affirmed; Inspite of (1) above; Ticket is thrown Open, this time around due to exigency of time; Our Party is encouraged to always make the issue of zoning very clear at least 6 months before sales of forms; Our Party should commend the efforts of some our contestants on the issue of Consensus candidacy; the efforts should be seen to a peaceful and logical conclusion.”

At least, 13 politicians under the party from different zones of the country have already collected the expression of interest and nomination forms to contest for the presidential ticket of the main opposition party.