2023: PDP NEC Meets On Zoning, National Convention, May 4

Amid controversy over the zoning of the 2023 presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) would meet on May 4 to take decision relating to the 2023 general election.
The 2023 national convention is slated for May 28 and 29, 2022.
A statement by the PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, yesterday night, indicated that the NEC meeting would hold at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Anyanwu said in the statement: “All members of the National Executive Committee of our great party are invited to the 96th NEC meeting scheduled as follows: Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2022.
“The Venue of the meeting is the NEC Hall PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja and the time is 2pm.
“All NEC members to attend.”
It was learnt that amongst issues to be discussed is the report of the Governor Samuel Ortom-led committee on zoning of the presidential ticket for the 2023 polls.
The 37-man zoning panel had allegedly recommended that the presidential ticket be thrown open to all qualified aspirants.
According the sources, the committee had resolved thus: “(1) zoning, as in our party constitution, is affirmed.
“2) 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, six 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 conclusion.”
However, the recommendation has not gone down well with party stakeholders, especially those from the South, with PDP Southern governors insisting that the presidential ticket must be ceded with to the South in accordance with the party’s Constitution.