2023: Mass defection looms in PDP as Igbo leaders threaten to dump party over presidential ticket
- The PDP may have to contend with a recent threat issued by a group from the southeast over its 2023 presidential ticket
- The Igbo leaders disclosed what they will do if the party fails to zone the ticket to the southeast
- Many politicians from the southeast zone have been clamouring for the next Nigerian president to emerge from the region
PAY ATTENTION: Join Legit.ng Telegram channel! Never miss important updates!
A crisis is looming in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following threats by some Igbo leaders to defect from the party if it fails to zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the southeast region.
The Punch reported that the threat was issued on Thursday, March 25, by a group of eminent Nigerians from the south-east geopolitical zone under the auspices of the Igbo Leadership Development Foundation.
Source: Facebook
According to a statement released by the group in Abuja, the leaders warned that they would mobilise their people from the southeast zone in opposition to the PDP if the party fails to stick to its constitution which provides for a rotational presidency.
The organisation also stated that it would take the PDP to court if the party refuses to support a southeast presidential candidate.
The group's warning was read by its director of public affairs, Dr. Law Mefor.
Others who also signed the statement are Dr. Godwin Udibe (Chairman) and Onyebuchi Obeta (National Secretary).
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read the best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Meanwhile, ahead of the 2023 presidential election, a former military head of state, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), has called for the zoning and rotation of the presidency among the six geo-political zones of the country.
This, he said, remained paramount for the tranquility, development, and growth of the country. Leadership reports that Gowon made the comment at the 100th anniversary of the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA) on Saturday, March 20.
According to the report, he also recommended that there should be two vice presidents, one from the zone where the president hails and the other should be elected and voted to power during the presidential election.
In another news, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has disclosed its ambition to remain in power and the centre of Nigeria's politics beyond the sixth, seventh and even eighth term in office (that is 32 years).
Governor Mai Mala Buni, the chairman of APC's caretaker extra-ordinary convention planning committee, made this revelation on Tuesday, March 23.
Buni said the ruling party will achieve this through the Governor Badru Abubakar 61-man strategy and contact committee of the APC inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja.
However, the PDP has described the claim by the APC that it will remain in power at the federal level for the next 26 years as a mere hallucination.
The spokesperson for the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued on Tuesday, March 23, said Nigerians have already resolved to vote the ruling party out of power in 2023.
Ologbondiyan accused the APC of making bogus claims of registering 36 million Nigerians in its recent registration and revalidation exercise.
Kess Ewubare is a senior political/current affairs correspondent at Legit.ng. He has both a BSc and a Master’s degree in mass communication. He has over 10 years experience working in several fields of mass communication including radio, TV, newspaper, and online. He can be reached via email at kess2099@gmail.com.
Source: Legit.ng
