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April 6, 2022
All 37 members of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP (PDP), Zoning Committee, voted for consensus candidate without zoning in choosing the party’s flagbearer in the 2023 Presidential election.
The committee said it will present its unanimous decision on zoning to the party National Executive Committee (NEC).
The Chairman of the committee and Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, disclosed this after the committee’s meeting held at Benue State Governor’s lodge on Tuesday in Abuja.
But the decision is already causing a strain within the party as some party stalwarts from the south including presidential aspirants have described the ‘no zoning’ decision as unfair.
Pundits are projecting a breakaway from the PDP by some top members on account of the no zoning policy.
Ortom, who did not disclosed the zoning decision of the committee and when it would be submitted, said the decision was unanimously agreed by 37 members of the committee.
“We have just finished our meeting, after we rose from our meeting last week.
” Today we decided that we will 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 everyone of us, the 37 members unanimously adopted the position that we are going to present to NEC,” Ortom said.
Meanwhile, a hint on the committee’s recommendations revealed that the committee recommended that the party’s presidential ticket should be thrown opened.
The committee recommended that: “Zoning, as in our party constitution, is affirmed.
“In spite 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,” the source hint.
Present at the meeting were Governors Darius Ishaku of Taraba, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu states; ex-governors Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna), Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Ibrahim Shema (Katsina) and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).
Others were former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, erstwhile Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Tanimu Turaki and Chairman, PDP Disciplinary Committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, among others.
