2027 Elections: “Why We Need Christian Presidential Candidate from South,” PDP Breaks Silence
- The leadership of the PDP has explained why it deliberately zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South
- Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed, revealed that the decision by the party was to avoid repeating the costly mistakes of the 2023 election
- In a trending interview, the governor clarified that only a southern Christian candidate can give the party the required balance against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state, has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not only needs a southern candidate but also a Christian from the region to emerge as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Source: Facebook
To avoid APC's mistake - Bala Mohammed speaks
Mohammed, who stated this when he appeared on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, August 28, argued that a southern candidate would help PDP avoid the controversy that dogged the All Progressives Congress in 2023.
He said the party must be sensitive to Nigeria’s religious and regional diversity when choosing its ticket.
Mohammed further disclosed that the party has “so many options in terms of pairing” and that he would support whoever emerged as the presidential candidate.
“What I want to say is we have not absolutely chosen or narrowed down on any person. Everybody should know that PDP is open.
“It’s open in a manner that it is for the southerners to bring somebody, and I said with all humility, we don’t want to make the mistake of the APC.”
“We need a Christian from the South to emerge as a presidential candidate, so that he will lead the majority of Christian southerners to come and pick the majority Muslim vice president in the North, not to put ourselves in a cul de sac the way the APC did in 2023,” he added.
Source: Getty Images
Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC had chosen a former governor of Borno state, Kashim Shettima, as his running mate for the 2019 presidential election.
But his decision attracted criticism from many Nigerians who kicked against a same-faith ticket — Tinubu and Shettima being Muslims from the South and North, respectively.
PDP considering Jonathan or Peter Obi
However, the PDP has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern part of the country.
However, PDP top leaders, including FCT minister Nyesom Wike, were divided over the decision to possibly give the party's 2027 presidential ticket to former president Goodluck Jonathan, Labour Party's 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi or Oyo governor Seyi Makinde.
Read more about the PDP here;
- 2027 elections: “Nigerians have rejected your party,” APC fires back at PDP governors
- 2027 elections: List of southern politicians who may emerge PDP presidential candidate
- PDP governors dare Wike
PDP 2027 ticket: Wike speaks on candidate he will support
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, disclosed who he will support in 2027.
Wike explained that he would support a candidate who would make Nigeria grow and protect the interests of the country.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Wike noted that his choice is aimed at preventing Nigeria from going backwards.
Source: Legit.ng
