Africa-Press – Nigeria. <\/strong><\/span>The Peoples Democratic Party\u2019s (PDP) decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South has received broad acceptance among northern state chapters of the party, though dissenting voices have emerged in Kano and a few other states.<\/p>\nWidespread acceptance in North<\/b><\/p>\n
Findings by DAILY POST revealed that the zoning arrangement has been largely welcomed across Jigawa, Katsina, Gombe, Kebbi, Kaduna, and Kogi States. Party leaders in these states said the decision reflects fairness and strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.<\/p>\n
In Jigawa, PDP Publicity Secretary Umar Kyari stressed that the party was united behind the decision:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe in Jigawa have no objections. Whatever will bring success to our party is what we support. That is the beauty of the part. It\u2019s a national party beyond sectional or religious lines.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Katsina, the party\u2019s Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Tijjani Umar Mashasha described the move as a carefully calculated political strategy.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will strengthen the PDP\u2019s chances in 2027. Don\u2019t forget, PDP introduced zoning to ensure fairness. With APC struggling under Tinubu, Nigerians are yearning for change, and we are ready to deliver.\u201d<\/p>\n
Support from across Gombe, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kogi<\/p>\n
Gombe PDP\u2019s spokesman Abdulkadir Ahmed Dukku aligned with the decision of the party at the just concluded meeting, noting that politics is about number and strategy.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe stand by whatever the party decides. Some may grumble, but ultimately everyone is looking at where success lies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kebbi PDP spokesman, Sani Dododo said the party had learnt from its past mistakes and would now rally behind a southern candidate.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhoever unites the country\u2014whether Jonathan or another southerner\u2014we will support,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
PDP Spokespersons in Kaduna Maria Samuel Dogo, and Kogi Umar Tijjani, echoed similar sentiments, pledging total loyalty to the party\u2019s resolution.<\/p>\n
Dissent in Kano<\/b><\/p>\n
However, not all northern voices are aligned. Some Kano PDP members expressed disapproval, arguing that the North deserved the presidential ticket after former President Goodluck Jonathan (South-South) and President Tinubu (South-West).<\/p>\n
Party member Comrade Kabiru Sani Mai Kwanuka criticized the lack of consultation:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were not carried along in this decision. This is not the consensus of all PDP members. We deserve to be heard before such resolutions are taken.\u201d<\/p>\n
Similarly, PDP activist Bashir Wahada Ibrahim argued online that returning power to the North was key to addressing insecurity.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly a northern presidency can quickly tackle the security challenges facing our region,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n
Northern groups kick <\/b><\/p>\n
Similarly, some northern groups have kicked against the decision of the party. For instance, the North Central Renaissance Movement while rejecting the PDP\u2019s zoning of its 2027 presidential ticket to the South said it was not done in all fairness and equity.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, the chairperson of the movement, Professor K\u2019tso Nghargbu, said that ticket should have been zoned to the North Central, as it is the only zone yet to produce either a President or Vice President in a democratic dispensation. He argued that doing the opposite was unfair to the zone.<\/p>\n
Though the argument is not for the entire north, the north central forms an integral part of the region.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cAs leaders of the North Central, we reject the PDP decision that zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201cZoning is not just about North and South; within these blocs, fairness must extend to zones that have never been given the chance. And this is why we insist that any political party that fails to zone the 2027 presidency to the North, and more importantly to the North Central, risks losing millions of votes from our people.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur people, especially the younger generation, are tired of recycled and uninspiring leaders. They want fresh leadership rooted in fairness and inclusion. This is why our agitation goes beyond the simple North\u2013South dichotomy. We are demanding equity within the Nigerian federation. It is not too much to ask that the North Central, a zone with solid credentials and undeniable contributions, be given the chance to prove itself in civilian leadership,\u201d they pressed.<\/p>\n
Almost in the same way, a coalition of northern youth groups under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations said the decision was \u201canti-democratic, unjust, and a monumental betrayal\u201d of the region.<\/p>\n
The group, at a press conference in Kaduna warned the PDP that there will be political consequences to the decision.<\/p>\n
Analysts weigh in<\/b><\/p>\n
Political scientist, Dr. Kabiru Said Sufi, in an interview with DAILY POST, viewed the zoning as a strategic counter-move against the ruling APC.<\/p>\n
\u201cPDP knows Tinubu will recontest in 2027. By fielding a southern candidate, they aim to directly challenge him in his stronghold, banking on the perception that his government has underperformed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Analysts also note unresolved tensions within the South itself. The South-West (Yoruba states) and South-South (Jonathan\u2019s zone) are both quietly pushing for the ticket, creating potential intra-party competition ahead of primaries.<\/p>\n
What next?<\/b><\/p>\n
While the PDP\u2019s zoning decision appears to have shored up northern support in key states, dissenting voices in Kano and southern rivalries may test the unity of the opposition party.<\/p>\n
Whether the strategy delivers the intended political advantage remains to be seen as 2027 approaches.<\/p>\n
Source: Daily Post Nigeria<\/b><\/p>\n
For More News And Analysis About Nigeria<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Kabeer Bello Africa-Press – Nigeria. The Peoples Democratic Party\u2019s (PDP) decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South has received broad acceptance among northern state chapters of the party, though dissenting voices have emerged in Kano and a few other states. Widespread acceptance in North Findings by DAILY POST revealed that the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":176399,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,1437,29,28,2660],"tags":[254,18575,65,4514],"class_list":["post-176400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-files","category-head-lines","category-homepage-english","category-to-homepage","tag-nigeria","tag-northern-voices","tag-pdp","tag-zoning"],"yoast_head":"\n
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