The Peoples Democratic Party’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, paving the way for Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and other southerners to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next election.

 

The party’s NEC also upheld the current National Working Committee zoning formula for the November elective convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, and confirmed Umar Damagum as the substantive National Chairman.

 

Meanwhile, loyalists of the 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, including Obidient Movement National coordinator Tanko Yunusa, said the former Anambra governor needs more time to reflect before deciding on his next political move.

 

But reacting to the zoning arrangement, the All Progressives Congress Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said the PDP is destined for defeat in 2027, no matter who it fields as a presidential candidate or the region he represents.

 

Zoning has long shaped the political fortunes of the PDP.

 

In 2015, northern members opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan, insisting the presidential ticket should return to their region.

 

Their revolt contributed to the PDP’s defeat by the All Progressives Congress.

 

A repeat incident occurred in 2023, when five governors, led by then Rivers State Governor and now Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, alongside other leaders, opposed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy.

 

Although the zoning committee, chaired by then Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had thrown the ticket open, they argued that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years, the South deserved consideration.

 

After Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s removal as National Chairman in 2023 by a court ruling, the North Central leaders demanded to fill the position, but their request was denied.

 

This fuelled the defection of key figures like former Senate President David Mark, Senator Dino Melaye, and ex-Benue Governor Gabriel Suswam to the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress.

 

From 2015 to date, disputes over the zoning of the presidential ticket or NWC positions have repeatedly driven the PDP into crisis.

 

On Monday, the PDP’s 44-member zoning committee, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, presented its report to the 102nd NEC.

 

Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting in Abuja, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that the decision followed the presentation of a report by the Zoning Committee chaired by Governor Diri.

 

Ologunagba added that the NEC also expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness of the PDP’s various organs, chapters and structures for the 2025 Elective National Convention scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, on November 15 to 16, 2025.

 

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, while reading the 102nd NEC communiqué, said the meeting commended the efforts of PDP governors, Board of Trustees, NWC, the National Assembly Caucus, and other party organs toward the success of the 2025 National Convention.

 

The communique read in part, “NEC received and, after extensive deliberation, approved the report of the National Convention Zoning Committee, which recommended that all PDP National Office positions currently in the Northern region of the country remain in the Northern region.

 

“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 their region for implementation. NEC also received an update from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed the Committee to circulate the Draft Constitution Amendment to various organs and chapters of the Party for further inputs.”

 

Ologunagba said NEC confirmed Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman, effective Monday, August 25, 2025, in recognition of his role in stabilising the party, pending the National Convention.

 

He added, “NEC condemns the resort by the APC to state capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in the APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.

 

“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarisation of the recent bye-elections, especially in Kaduna and Taraba States, as well as Zamfara State, where excessive security agencies were deployed in the conduct of the run-off election in only five polling units in Kaura Namoda South state constituency.

 

“NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of the APC’s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian one-party state, which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.

 

“NEC reassures Nigerians of PDP’s commitment to Democracy and the defence of the interests and well-being of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our party to regain power in 2027.”

 

Although not officially declared, The PUNCH had earlier reported that Governor Makinde was among those likely to contest the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket from the South.

 

With the new zoning arrangement, the path now appears clearer for Makinde, Obi, and other southerners interested in the ticket.

 

In his earlier remarks, Damagum noted that since the last PDP NEC meeting, the party had remained resilient and focused despite the country’s daunting challenges.

 

He stated, “Nigerians are looking up to the PDP not only as the strongest opposition party but as the only credible alternative, capable of restoring hope, equity, and justice to the Nigerian people.

 

“The confidence reposed in us is a reminder of the weight of responsibility we carry as a party and of the need to remain united and disciplined as we march towards the future.

 

“From one convention to the next, the PDP has consistently shown that internal democracy, inclusivity, and respect for collective decision-making remain our guiding principles.

 

“This NEC, therefore, stands at a defining moment as we prepare for the next National Convention, where the leadership that will steer our party into the 2027 elections will emerge.

 

“Please, be assured that I believe every member of the current National Working Committee remains deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve this party faithfully these past years as we approach our fourth anniversary.”

 

In his remarks, the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, said party leaders were making strong efforts to win back the trust of Nigerians.

 

The governor noted, “We are really navigating the temptations and also some of the challenges that most of you are aware of, the challenges even within the National Working Committee, so that we can cautiously and cleverly navigate to convention.

 

“All the remaining issues of the various congresses have been resolved by the Working Committee with the help of the governors and other elders.

 

“Today, I would say that all the communication to INEC has been signed by our National Working Committee and that we don’t have any determining issue. So, we are navigating and we are working very well, and of course, we will do our best to ensure that this party remains united.”

 

The PDP BoT chairman, Adolphus Wabara, said the hopes of millions of Nigerians rest on the party’s ability to rebuild, reconcile, and position itself ahead of 2027.

 

Represented by the BoT secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Wabara stressed that for the PDP to succeed in 2027, the members must embrace three key principles: unity and progress, sacrifice, and reconciliation with inclusion.

 

He added, “Once again, the hopes of millions of sovereign Nigerians are tied to our collective capacity to build to reconcile and to position this party ahead of 2027.

 

“However, if we are to succeed in 2027, we must embrace three truths: first, on the question of unity and progress. Unity is not a mere slogan. Rather, it is the lifeblood of any political organisation. Without unity, progress is stunted. Without unity, victory is elusive.

 

“Our strength has always been drawn from our diversity, our ability to disagree without division and to reconcile in the interest of the greater good. As elders, leaders and members of the party, we must once again rise to that standard.

 

“Secondly, the spirit of sacrifice; we must be honest with ourselves. Reclaiming victory in 2027 will demand more than rhetoric. It will demand sacrifice in exchange for the collective interest of the party and, more importantly, the Nigerian people.”

 

He lamented that the nation is in distress and citizens are suffering, stressing that Nigerians look to the PDP to provide relief, restore hope, and deliver healing leadership.

 

“This burden of expectation should inspire us to give our best and even more for the sake of our nation.

 

“Third, reconciliation and inclusion; we know that over time, some of our members, due to one grievance or another, have strayed away, in self-imposed exile.

 

“Today, as elders of the party, we must extend a hand of the new reconciliation. This does not mean abandoning our principles.”

 

Reacting to the PDP NEC resolutions, Wike said he was vindicated by the decision to zone the presidency to the South and the chairmanship to the North.

 

In a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike noted that the PDP had acknowledged the mistake made in 2022 and was now correcting it in 2025.

 

The statement read in part, “Recall that the FCT minister and the G-5 had insisted that the presidential candidate of the PDP and its National Chairman must not remain in the same zone, insisting that since Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, from the North had emerged as the presidential candidate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, also from the North, must resign to pave the way for a National Chairman from the South.

 

“Ayu, however, insisted on not resigning, with Atiku and his group backing him. The aftermath of this was the electoral misfortune the party suffered in 2023, followed by instability after the elections.

 

“But today, the NEC resolved that since the National Chairman of the party is zoned to the North, the PDP 2027 presidential ticket be zoned to the South. Has PDP not come back to eat its own vomit?

 

“Sadly, they know the truth. Wike simply said, ‘take the chairmanship to the South if you want to gain the Presidency,’ but they said no, they must take the two, and the PDP lost.

 

“They have realised the mistake they made in 2022 and are correcting it in 2025. But is it not too late already, bearing in mind that the only way the zoning can be justified is for the South to conclude its eight years, while the Presidency returns to the North in 2031?”

 

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, would need time to decide to return to the PDP fold or not in pursuant of his presidential ambition in 2027, the National Coordinator, Obidient Movement, Tanko Yunusa, said.

 

Obi has held several meetings in recent times with top opposition figures, including Atiku and the Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.

 

Before these meetings, top PDP chieftains, including former Information Minister, Prof Jerry Gana and incumbent Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, had spoken on the need to have Obi return to the party’s fold to renew his quest for the highest elective office in the land.

 

To lend credence to this possibility, the PDP at its NEC meeting on Monday zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while affirming that party positions currently held by Nigerians of northern extraction should remain in the north and those in the hands of southerners should remain so.

 

In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, Tanko stated that Obi needed to protect the Labour Party’s candidate in the November 8 governorship election, after which he would study the dynamics and make a choice on what to do next.

 

He said, “That (possible return to PDP) will be a discussion that will be done at the appropriate time. Like he has said before, he has to protect the candidature of his people who are running for elections in November.

 

“He has room to study the situation until what he said he would do in November. We need to give him time to look at the pros and cons of the situation before he makes his move. He will definitely make his decision public.”

 

Reacting to the latest development in the PDP, the APC Director of Publicity, Ibrahim, said the PDP would face defeat in 2027, regardless of its presidential candidate or the region he comes from.

 

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Ibrahim stated that President Tinubu would be re-elected because his policies, programmes, and projects resonate with Nigerians across the country.

 

He stated, “The issue is not zoning to the South. They can zone the ticket to any part of the world. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not a President of the South, nor is he a President of the North, the East, or the West. He is the President of Nigeria.

 

“And the APC is a party that is national in outlook, national in character, and national in service. So, it is not a question of section or region where the ticket is zoned. It is a question of competence.

 

“And President Tinubu is going to contest again by the grace of God. And if he does so, regardless of where the PDP zones the ticket, the APC is going to beat them hands down because it is performing; it is meeting the yearnings and expectations of Nigerians, which the PDP will not be able to.

 

“They failed Nigerians. As a matter of fact, Nigerians will not want to give them any other chance.”

 

Meanwhile, the Bauchi State chapter of the PDP declared its total support for the party’s zoning arrangement.

 

The State Publicity Secretary of the party, Dayyabu Ciroma, stated this in an interview with The PUNCH on Monday, stressing that the decision was taken to promote unity and strengthen the party’s chances of victory in the next general election.

 

According to Ciroma, the PDP in Bauchi will stand firmly behind whoever emerges as the party’s flagbearer after the primaries, regardless of individual preferences.

 

“Yes, I am aware that the PDP has zoned its presidential candidate to the South. This is to ensure the unity of the party and guarantee our victory in the 2027 presidential election,” Ciroma said.

 

On whether Governor Bala Mohammed would throw his weight behind Peter Obi’s return, Ciroma clarified that loyalty would only go to whoever emerged from the primaries.

 

“We cannot say now that Governor Bala Mohammed will support Peter Obi because all we are after is the unity and victory of the party. Now that zoning has been made to the South, whoever emerges during the primaries will get our total support. It doesn’t have to be Obi alone,” he explained.

 

Ciroma further noted that while Obi, who left the PDP ahead of the 2023 election, remains a popular figure, he is not the only potential candidate from the South. He added that other credible personalities, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, could also join the race under the PDP platform.

 

“As it stands, Obi is not in the PDP, but we hope he returns. We also hope that former President Goodluck Jonathan and other credible leaders would join the race. That is why we cannot conclude now who will get our backing. Whoever emerges will have our loyalty, and we will ensure he or she leads us to victory,” Ciroma added.

 

Also, the Special Adviser on Federal Constituency Matters to Governor Makinde, Dare Adeleke, said his principal was in pole position to clinch the PDP presidential ticket in the next election.

 

Adeleke, who spoke with The PUNCH on Monday, insisted that Makinde had “paid his dues” in the PDP, noting that he played a critical role in rallying governors to prevent the party from going into extinction.

 

He said, “Makinde has paid his dues when it comes to party politics. He’s one man who fought the dominance of some people I don’t want to mention.

 

“If not Makinde, the PDP would not be where it is today. The PDP would have probably gone into extinction. But he led the struggle with his colleague-governors and convinced them that everything is possible, because some of them would have gone to the All Progressives Congress.”

 

However, a former presidential candidate and PDP chieftain, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, faulted the party’s decision to zone the Presidency, warning that it amounted to an endorsement of President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

 

‎‎Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, shortly after the PDP NEC meeting, Olawepo-Hashim described the move as “unprecedented” in the history of the party.

 

‎‎“Zoning the Presidency to the South is a default campaign for the return of President Bola Tinubu because those who are mounting this campaign of zoning to the south are the same people who are saying, ‘we are in PDP,’ but will work for President Tinubu,” he said.