2023: Zoning formula tears PDP leaders apart, shifts NEC meeting

.We’re on course with INEC’s timetable, guidelines, says Ayu

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

Members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP Caucus on Monday sharply disagreed over zoning formula ahead of the 2023 general elections.

For this reason, the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party scheduled to hold Tuesday was put forward by a day to enable a political resolution of the contentious issues.

While the Bala Mohammed committee had thrown the contest open to all zones, leaders from the South are insisting that the presidency should be zoned to the South after 8 years of the North in the saddle.

Those for and against were said to have stood their ground, forcing the NWC to back track and seek a diplomatic way of brokering a truce between the two groups, mainly from the North and the South.

After the meeting, which lasted for close to two hours, National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba disclosed that the caucus meeting had been adjourned till Wednesday, the National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees meeting earlier scheduled for Tuesday to discuss important issues would also hold on Wednesday.

“After effective discussions, we have adjourned the meeting to Wednesday for the continuation of all the issues on the agenda.

“On Wednesday at 10 a.m. the caucus meeting will hold, thereafter the BoT meeting and then the NEC meeting,” he said.

In spite of the hitches, National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, said PDP is on course with the timetable and guidelines for 2023 General Elections as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Ayu said the National Working Committee was working round the clock to ensure that the party keeps to the timetable issued by INEC.

“We are very much on course and this meeting is for to look at our own timetable and guidelines. We are determine that we will keep strictly to the guideline in spite the short time that is available to us. We will keep to this time line,” he said.

Ayu, who said serious issues were discussed, added that the PDP NWC was working with stakeholders to resolve whatever problems within the party.”

On the crisis in some chapters of the party, Ayu said “On the crisis in other state chapters. We are to conduct congresses in state chapters that we did not have congresses before.

“Whatever problem that may have arising from those congresses, we are addressing them and we hope that by the time we resolve everything the party will be stronger than ever before,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman, PDP Governors Forum, Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, appealed to leaders and members of the party to bury their differences and work together, “We must give the right signal to Nigerians, that we are united and ready to rescue this country.”

On his part, the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Walid Jibrin, appealed to the party leaders not to abandon the old party members, while welcoming those retuning after defecting to other political parties.

Jibrin also described the meeting as critical to the party as it was expected to come out with important decisions.