By Ebiere Kekeboro
…Insist PDP National Chairman Remains in North Central
Eminent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have demanded that the opposition party retain the zoning arrangement adopted at its 2021 national convention.
The leaders, operating under the platform of Eminent Leaders and Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP, met in Abuja on Monday night where they resolved that the office of the National Chairman must remain in the North Central region.
The meeting, attended by prominent stakeholders loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, stressed that anything short of sustaining the 2021 zoning formula would undermine internal party democracy and trigger fresh divisions ahead of the party’s national convention.
Reading the communiqué at the end of the meeting, former Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, said the group was committed to ensuring inclusiveness, fairness, and adherence to the party’s constitution and past decisions. He emphasized that the party risks alienating its members and invalidating the national convention if the agreed zoning arrangement is altered.
The leaders further demanded the conduct of a fresh South-East Zonal Congress to address pending concerns in that region. They also called for congresses to be held in Ebonyi and Anambra States, in addition to a local government congress in Ekiti State.
Similarly, the group insisted that the outcome of the South-South Congress conducted in Calabar, Cross River State, on February 22, 2025, must be respected. The congress had earlier been recognised by a court ruling, and the stakeholders maintained that disregarding it would amount to a breach of legality and due process.
“The party must avoid actions that will disenfranchise members or create room for litigations that could destabilize its preparations for the national convention,” the communiqué read in part.
The meeting drew a strong presence of PDP stalwarts across states and geopolitical zones. Among those present were Wike; PDP National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; and four former governors — Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, Ortom of Benue, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu.
Also in attendance were the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda; Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule; and National Vice Chairmen of the party for the North Central and South-South, Abdulrahman Mohammed and Dan Orbih.
Several serving and former members of the National Assembly, as well as state party chairmen from Abia, Benue, the FCT, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers, also took part in the deliberations.
The leaders warned that any attempt to deviate from the demands put forward in their communiqué would not only create internal discontent but also cast doubt on the legitimacy of the PDP’s national convention.
They argued that the zoning arrangement of 2021 was designed to balance power and representation among regions, and altering it at this critical time could further deepen the cracks within the party.
The communiqué concluded by reaffirming the group’s commitment to a united PDP that is able to present itself as a credible alternative in Nigeria’s political landscape.
At a time when the party is grappling with internal divisions, the stance of these stakeholders underscores the continuing influence of Wike and his allies, whose positions are expected to shape the dynamics of the PDP’s preparations for the 2025 convention and the 2027 general elections.