2027 presidency: PDP's zoning like endorsing Tinubu's re-election

By John Ogunsemore

‎Former presidential candidate and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim said the party has inadvertently endorsed President Bola Tinubu’s reelection with its decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.

Olawepo-Hashim stated this as a guest on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on Monday.

He spoke shortly after the PDP held its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.

Olawepo-Hashim, who hails from the North-Central zone, described the PDP’s zoning arrangement as “a big error”.

Olawepo-Hashim said, “What the decision means is that if you are a northerner, you should find another party.

“While past leaders of the PDP, even when they preferred a certain president from a certain region of the country to emerge, would rather use their votes at the convention to speak for them.

“Past leaders would never shut the door against any region, because they knew the implication of it for the unity of the country.

“I believe that NEC has made a big error. I’m not saying that they didn’t do it, they did it by majority, it was quite democratic, all the organs of the party decided, but they made a big error.

“The constitution of Nigeria does not allow you to discriminate against a party member when it comes to elective positions on account of where he comes from. It’s a major constitutional issue.”

He said the error could still be corrected by the courts if any PDP member affected by the decision sought legal redress.

Olawepo-Hashim said those pushing for the zoning arrangement were the same people endorsing Tinubu for second term.

He said, “This is my own position: to zone the presidency to the south is a default campaign for the return of President Asiwaju.

“Because those who are mounting the campaign for zoning to the south are the same people who are saying ‘we are in PDP but we are committed to Tinubu’s re-election’. It’s a default campaign for the PDP not to have a viable candidate by those people.

“Those who are saying it must be automatically zoned to the south, and who are also championing President Asiwaju’s re-election, are running a default campaign.”