Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set to meet with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over the 2023 presidential election.
Bibian Anekwe News reports that the main opposition has recently been rocked with defection from Yakubu Dogara, Elisha Abbo, David Umahi among others.
Umahi had claimed that he left the PDP because of the party’s treatment for the southeast region.
According to The Nation, PDP governors were said to have been alarmed during a recent meeting at the manner in which the Prince Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee (NWC) and other organs of the party were handling the issue of zoning.
“The meeting, an impromptu one held after Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State left the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was heated,” a source said.
“Many of the state helmsmen blamed Umahi’s defection on the foot-dragging by the party on the zoning issue.
“They feared that more governors and other prominent PDP leaders, especially in the south, may leave the party. But many of their northern counterparts felt otherwise and cautioned against a decision yet on the matter.
“One major matter that came up at the meeting was that zoning the presidential ticket to a particular zone may also force some prominent chieftains with presidential ambitions out of the party.
“Thus, governors in this school of thought appreciated Secondus’ seeming lack of readiness to be categorical on the issue. Specifically, a northern governor cautioned against any move that would deny any party member the chance to seek the ticket.
“But pro-zoning governors insisted on the need for the PDP to respect its unwritten formula on rotational presidency, saying it is the turn of the south to rule the country come 2023.
“The governors parted without taking a decision on the matter at the meeting, and I can tell you that this has polarised the governors further.
“Party leaders and chieftains are worried about the development and not a few of our governors have been discussing it.”
Another source said some governors, after another parley, decided to approach Jonathan and Atiku as well as Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, among others, to get their positions on the zoning debate.
