The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned the national chairman’s office to the North, just as the party described the six years of President Mohammadu Buhari administration as the worst in the nation’s history.
The party has not announced its decision on presidency, vice presidency or other executive and legislative positions.
These offices are outside the terms of reference of the National Convention Zoning Committee, it was learnt.
PDP zoning committee swaps party positions between North and South.
The committee had recommended the swapping of party leadership positions between the North and the South.
Towards this end, all positions currently being occupied by northern party members will go South; and those in the South will go to northerners.
This was announced by the Chairman of the committee and Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, in Abuja, yesterday.
The forum led by Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, voted in favour of the North producing Prince Uche Secondus’ successor.
The governors who voted in favour of the Northern chairmanship are Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and Samuel Ortom (Benue).
Three northern governors – Senator Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Adamu Fintiri (Adamawa), and Darius Ishaku (Taraba) – voted for the chairmanship to be zoned to the South.
Sokoto State Governor and Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, did not vote as he presided over the meeting.
Consequently, nine governors voted in favour of North for chairmanship of the party while three voted against.
Ugwuanyi said, “At the end of the deliberations of the PDP National Zoning Committee, it was resolved that the National Zoning Committee of the PDP was given the mandate to zone national offices to be contested by all PDP members at the PDP National Convention scheduled for October 30 and 31, 2021 by the National Executive Committee.
“That the mandate of the committee does not include zoning of the offices of the president, vice president and other executive and legislative offices of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“And the decision of the committee to zone the party offices does not in any way affect the executive and legislative offices in Nigeria.
“That zoning of offices in PDP has traditionally been between the North and South of Nigeria.
“The decision of the PDP Zoning Committee is in line with the constitution of the party on zoning and rotation of party and national offices in the interest of justice, equity and fairness. “
He added that, “Consequently, the current offices being held by officers in the southern zones of the country, namely, South-West, South-East and South-South zones, should swap places with the offices currently in the northern zones of Nigeria, namely, North-West, North-East and North-Central zones.
“We want to thank the party, especially the National Executive Committee that set up this committee on September 9, 2021 for finding us worthy to serve the party in the capacity as zoning committee members.
“We shall pass on our recommendations to the National Executive Committee of the party through the National Working Committee.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), has described the six years of President Muhammadu Buhari administration as the worst in Nigeria’s history as an independent, sovereign state.
The party stated this in its message to Nigerians ahead of the 61st Independence anniversary.
Addressing newsmen at the party’s national headquarters, yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the push by the Buhari-led administration “to sink our nation to the precipices is evident in our daily lives; the lies, injustices, violations, state-backed violence, impunity, nepotism, treasury looting, harsh economic policies and accommodation of terrorism, but our nation has continued to survive by the resilient spirit of Nigerians.”
Accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of making life difficult for Nigerians, the party expressed hope in the ability of the country to bounce back stronger.
He said, “It is painful that all the gains made by our nation since independence in 1960 and, especially during the 16 years of the PDP in office, including the entrenchment of national unity and cohesiveness, freedom and personal liberty of citizens, rule of law, credible elections, justice, equity, fairness and economic progress; the very elements of an independent state, have all been reversed by the APC and the Buhari Presidency.
“The Buhari Presidency and the APC have on all fronts taken our nation back to the pre-independence days with associated bondage mentality and frustration resulting in many losing faith in the system and leaving our country in droves within the last six years.
“Is it not an irony that our nation is celebrating independence in the face of subverted elections, brazen crackdown on the opposition and dissenting voices as well as other suppressive acts including the muzzling of free speech as witnessed in the ban on Twitter in Nigeria?
“Is it not also an irony that as we celebrate independence, thousands of our compatriots are falling victims to extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests and illegal detention in dehumanizing cells; which underscore the horrible situation under President Buhari and the APC, as even profiled by reputable international organizations including Amnesty International (AI) and US Department of State?
“How can we celebrate when the APC government has no answers to the murdering of our youths by security operatives as witnessed in the #EndSARS protest killings of 2020 and, where those who demand for accountability in governance are being hounded, harassed and framed?
“Is it not painful that under President Buhari, our nation has been opened up to terrorists, bandits and kidnappers, who are wantonly killing our citizens while their known apologists are enjoying official cover with one of them even holding office as cabinet minister?
“The PDP holds as unpardonable that President Buhari has failed to secure our nation. In spite of the genuine suggestions by patriotic Nigerians, including the PDP, his administration has remained lethargic and assuming a helpless situation.
“Nevertheless, our party celebrates our gallant troops who are making huge sacrifices to defend our nation, despite the daunting challenges they face.
“On the economy front, how can we celebrate when President Buhari and the APC have in a space of six years, wrecked our once robust economy and turned Nigeria into the poverty capital of the world, where over 82.9million Nigerians can no longer afford their daily meals.
“How can we celebrate when the APC has plunged our nation into economic slavery with over N33.1trillion accumulated debt, a 33 per cent unemployment rate, collapse of productive sectors and a weakened naira from the N167 to a dollar handed over to President Buhari in 2015 to a dismal N576 to a dollar today?
“Instead of ending its corruption and seeking ways to revamp the economy, the Buhari administration is busy doctoring the books with false indices that have no bearing of any sort to the harsh reality on the ground.
“Indeed, this is not the way to go. The incontrovertible truth is that there is no hope in sight under the APC and that is why there are no drums on the streets to celebrate Nigeria at 61.
“If anything, Nigerians are using the occasion of the 61st Independence anniversary to further strengthen their resolve to take back their country from the stranglehold of the APC, come 2023.
“The PDP appreciates the confidence reposed on our party by Nigerians to lead the charge to rescue our nation in 2023. Our party acknowledges the flurry of goodwill and solidarity messages coming from Nigerians across board as further demonstrated in the massive interest by citizens in our ongoing registration exercise.
“The PDP congratulates Nigerians on the nation’s 61st Independence anniversary and urges them to use this year’s occasion to further consolidate on our unity and resilience for the task ahead”.