A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised the party’s decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the Southern region.
Olawepo-Hashim, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, said the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP made a “big error” by adopting the zoning decision.
‘His words: ‘I’m not saying that they didn’t do it by majority. They did it by a majority. It was quite democratic.
”All the organs of the party decided. But it made a big error,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim warned that the zoning decision amounted to an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s reelection bid.
He also issued the warning on Monday, shortly after the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja.
He further argued that those mounting the campaign for zoning to the South were the same people who claim to be working for President Tinubu.
The former presidential candidate noted that the decision effectively weakens the PDP’s chances of producing a viable presidential candidate.
He 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 we work for President Tinubu.
He noted that the party has never barred any region from contesting the presidency, citing past conventions as examples.
“It’s a default campaign for the PDP not to have a viable candidate by those people. So this is a subtle campaign for an easy ride for Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
“The PDP has never zoned the presidency before. In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was then General Obasanjo, contested against Alhaji Rimi from northern Nigeria and some other candidates, including Alex Ekwueme, etc.
“In 2003, as a sitting president in the villa, President Obasanjo had to contest again with Chief Barnabas Gemade from Benue, Alhaji Rimi from Kano. The party never shut the door against any zone,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim also warned that the zoning decision could spark a constitutional crisis, arguing that it violates provisions of the Constitution.
He emphasised that the constitution does not allow discrimination against a party member when it comes to an elective position based on their region of origin.
