Follow Us on Google
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Former presidential aspirant, Gbenga Olawepo-Kashim, has faulted the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
He told journalists in Abuja that he will petition the PDP national convention, insisting that the convention would have the final say on the issue.
The PDP National Executive Committee (NEC), at its 102nd meeting, on Monday, ceded its presidential ticket for the 2027 general election to the South and retained its national chairmanship position in the North.
However, the presidential hopeful contended that zoning the PDP ticket to any part of the country was undemocratic, noting that it was not in the interest of the opposition party to shut out anyone.
He recalled that in 1999 and 2023, former President Olusegun Obasanjo contested against former Vice President, late Alex Ekwueme and former Kano State Governor, Abubakar Rimi.
“Even most recently, President Bola Tinubu in the APC contested against 14 other presidential aspirations and Tinubu won. Why should the PDP zone its presidential ticket to the South, where some persons would be zoned out. That is not democratic and it’s not constitutional.
‘’The last has not been heard on this unconstitutional zoning of 102nd NEC, the legality would be tested at the national convention. As was the case in 2000, when the convention overruled the NEC, so it would be at the national convention, since it is an elective convention where issues would be voted on.
‘’Let there be an open contest based on competence in the management of our economic challenges, as well as who can manage our security challenges. Nigeria is bleeding and there would be no need to be chanting any primordial sentiments and interests. Nigeria needs the best.
‘’Anyone afraid of an open contest is not fit to be President of Nigeria. That person is not a president of the South or North alone, we are talking of the president of Nigeria. So, we are calling for the best for Nigeria.”
