The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned the party’s 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region of the country.
The decision was taken on Monday during the NEC meeting in Abuja, where party leaders deliberated extensively before adopting the zoning committee’s recommendations.
Presenting the communiqué after the meeting, PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba explained that the current zoning arrangement for national working committee (NWC) positions will remain unchanged ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for November.
“That all PDP national office positions currently in the northern region of the country remain in the northern region,” Ologunagba said. “That all PDP national office positions currently in the southern region of the country remain in the southern region.
“That having retained the position of the national chairman in the northern region of the country, the presidential candidate of the party for the 2027 general election is hereby zoned to the southern region.
“That the regions should immediately micro-zone positions within its region for implementation.”
The NEC also expressed satisfaction with preparations across party structures ahead of the elective national convention slated for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In addition, the committee received updates from the PDP constitution amendment committee and directed that the draft be circulated to various party organs and chapters for further input.
On electoral matters, the PDP NEC criticised last week’s bye-elections, alleging they were marred by intimidation, vote-buying, and excessive security presence.
“The NEC condemns the resort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to State Capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country,” the communiqué stated.
It particularly frowned at what it described as the “militarisation” of the bye-elections in Kaduna, Taraba, and Zamfara states.
According to the party, the deployment of heavy security operatives in only five polling units in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency during a run-off was “a confirmation of APC’s desire to turn Nigeria into a totalitarian one-party state,” warning that such actions pose a “clear and present danger” to democracy and the country’s unity.
