PDP zones 2027 presidential slot to South, North retains chairmanship; Wike’s aide fires banter
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday during their 102nd National Executive Council meeting in Abuja zoned the party’s presidential slot to the southern part of the country while retaining the existing National Working Committee zoning formula for the November elective convention.
Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting in Abuja on Monday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that the decision followed the presentation of a report by the Zoning Committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.
Recall that during the 2023 elections, the PDP threw its presidential ticket open, leading to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.
However, some southern leaders, led by then Rivers State Governor and now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, opposed him over what they saw as an unfair power-sharing arrangement for the South.
After declaring the zoning arrangement, Ologunagba added that the NEC also expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness of the PDP’s various organs, Chapters and structures for the 2025 Elective National Convention scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital on Saturday 15th to Sunday 16th November 2025.
Ologunagba, while reading the 102nd NEC communiqué, said the meeting commended the efforts of PDP governors, Board of Trustees, NWC, National Assembly caucus, and other party organs toward the success of the 2025 National Convention.
The communique read in part, “NEC received and after extensive deliberation approved the report of the National Convention Zoning Committee which recommended that all PDP National Office positions currently in the Northern Region of the country remain in the Northern Region.
“That all PDP National Office positions currently in the Southern Region of the country remain in the Southern Region.
“That having retained the position of the National Chairman in the Northern Region of the country, the Presidential Candidate of the Party for the 2027 General Election is hereby zoned to the Southern Region.
“That the Regions should immediately micro-zone positions within its Region for implementation.
“NEC also received an update from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed the Committee to circulate the Draft Constitution Amendment to various Organs and Chapters of the Party for further inputs.”
Ologunagba said NEC confirmed Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman, effective Monday, August 25, 2025, in recognition of his role in stabilizing the party, pending the National Convention.
The NEC also affirmed Umar Damagum who was the PDP National Deputy Chairman (North) and later emerged as acting national chairman in March 2023 after the suspension of a former national chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, as its substantive National Chairman.
This was confirmed by Ologunagba: “NEC condemns the resort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to State Capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.
“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarization of the recent bye-elections especially in Kaduna and Taraba States as well as Zamfara State where excessive security agencies were deployed in the conduct of the run-off election in only five Polling Units in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency.
“NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of the APC’s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian One-Party State which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.
“NEC reassures Nigerians of PDP’s commitment to Democracy and the defense of the interest and well-being of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our Party to regain power in 2027.”,
The Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and social media, Lere Olayinka to Minister, Nyesom Wike and the G-5’s leader in 2022 has reacted to the zoning arrangement of key party offices in PDP.
He asked rhetorically, “Now, that the party has realised its mistake of not listening to Wike and the G-5 in 2022, and have chosen to do what they said, three years after, have they not been vindicated now?”
“Recall that the FCT Minister and the G-5 had insisted that the presidential candidate of the PDP and its National Chairman must not remain in the same zone, insisting that since Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, from the North had emerged as the presidential candidate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, also from the North must resign to pave the way for a National Chairman from the South. Ayu, however, insisted on not resigning, with Atiku and his group backing him. Aftermath of this was the electoral misfortune the party suffered in 2023, followed by instability after the elections,” he stated.
Olayinka insisted that by not listening to his boss, PDP suffered electoral defeat in 2023 elections.
“Sadly, they know the truth. Wike simply said, take the chairmanship to the South if you want to gain the presidency, but they said no, they must take the two, and the PDP lost!
“They have realized the mistake they made in 2022 and are correcting it in 2025. But is it not too late already, bearing in mind that the only way the zoning can be justified is for the South to conclude its eight years, while the presidency returns to the North in 2031,” he quipped.
