All is not well with the major opposition party, People Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of 2023 general election. There seems to be dissonance among the major stakeholders of the party and zoning arrangements. Just few weeks ago, the party had agreed to zone the chairmanship slot to the north which produced Iyorchia Ayu from Benue state as the anointed candidate of the party ahead of convention.
While the Party decision truly keep mum on the presidential ticket, observers believed it simply implied the party’s presidential ticket is coming to the south. As it tallied with emotions, feelings and other intangibles of the people from the south, it literally gives hope and aspirations of southern members of the party a moral booster. They silently thinking that it can give them an edge to produce the presidential candidate of the party come 2023.
However, there is indication that the party is not ready to zone the presidency to south given the utterances and body language of some of the chieftains of the party. It was former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections that first hinted about how the decision was not in tandem with the aspirations of stakeholders of the party from the north. He told stakeholders at the NEC meeting that while the party has the right to determine its rules, Nigerians also have the right to elect whom their leader is. The analyst believe it is the subtle way of protesting the zoning arrangements of the party.
Just few weeks ago in October, a member of Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party, Chief Raymond Dokpesi also hinted about the direction and thinking that the party will likely go for the emergence of the party presidential flagbearer at the 2023 polls. He posited that for equity, fairness and justice, the party must zone its presidential ticket for the 2023 general elections to the North. Though Dokpesi is from South, he argued that the south used 14 of the 16-year tenure of the PDP, saying it unfair to the northern part of the country.
Also, just few days ago, former president of the senate, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki categorically stated that the party has not in anyway zoned the presidential slot to the south. Saying the party can field a qualified candidate from any part of the country.
With the position of those three prominent members of the party, it is safe to say that the party has not in anyway know the direction or model to which they would go achieve their objectives. In fact, they are pragmatically delaying the implosion regarding 2023 as they are papering the crack just to make everybody happy. This can eventually be downfall of the party going into 2023 election. The southern caucus especially the south-east and south-south who feel manipulated by the party can play a spoiler for the party come 2023.
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