The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors from the South have rejected the proposal by the party to throw open the 2023 presidential contest to all qualified aspirants, the Sun reports
The governors after a meeting in Abuja on Friday night insisted that the PDP 2023 presidential ticket must be zoned to the South in the spirit of equity and fair play.
This followed the recommendation of the PDP committee on zoning headed by Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, that the presidential ticket should be thrown open to all the qualified aspirants.
The Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who spoke after the meeting on behalf of the governors, at a press briefing, said that their stance was based on the resolutions of the Southern Governors Forum at the meetings in Delta and Lagos states that the presidency must be zoned to the South in 2023.
The meeting was also attended by Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom) and Diri Douye (Bayelsa).
The Abia governor, who is also the vice-chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, stated that it was not the fault of the South that the opposition party did not win the presidential poll in 2019 when the ticket was ceded to the North.
He said: “We have watched with keen interest the developments in our party, especially concerning zoning. Our position is that first, we are committed to the unity of our party and we have worked hard to make sure that this party remains a strong and viable vehicle to rescue Nigeria come 2023.
“Be that as it may, we want to draw your attention to the fact that we have agreed as Southern Governors in Lagos and also in Delta that this party has to respect the zoning principle as enshrined in our Constitution, and to that effect, we feel that the best thing to do is the zone the presidency to the South, and we stand on that position.
“We have not seen any reason to change our position because the party was founded on the basis of equity and justice. And we also think that equity and justice an important pillars that will ultimately stabilize our politics towards our journey in rescuing Nigeria. This is our position and that is why we have met today.”
Ikpeazu, while fielding questions on the reasons on which the zoning committee reportedly resolved to throw the ticket open, said: “If you want to take a position of policy, you don’t look at problems in their face and take a decision. You make a decision and remain firm on that decision. We think what this country is lacking today is our ability to dispense equity and justice. It may be difficult, it may be a bitter pill, but we need to stand with the truth.”
Similarly, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim; former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi; former President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Sam Ohuabunwa and American-based medical doctor, Nwachukwu Anakwenze, yesterday, resolved to work together to ensure that the Southeast produces the 2023 PDP presidential ticket.
Anyim, who spoke on behalf of the other aspirants, after a meeting, in Abuja said that their resolve to have a South Easterner as the PDP 2023 presidential candidate is based on equity, fair play and national unity.
According to him, “four of us are presidential aspirants on the platform of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party. We met this morning and resolved as follows: we have agreed to work together as a team. We will work together to ensure that a South Easterner emerges as the PDP flag bearer for the 2023 presidential election.
“We intend to consult with other zones on this issue and it is based on fairness and equity. In doing so, it is important to note that we have always supported other zones, and we now expect them to reciprocate.”
On whether the four aspirants will come up with a consensus candidate from the Southeast, Anyim said: “When we get to the bridge, we’ll cross it. But we will work together in the interest of the party, in the interest of the nation, and in the interest of Southeast.”
The former SGF, while responding to a question about whether they have the support of Governors Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu of Enugu and Abia states respectively, said that the question should rather be directed to the governors.
