… Confirms Damagum As Substantive Chair
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, comprising the Southeast, Southwest and South-South zones.
The decision followed the adoption of the report of the Zoning Committee set up by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
The report of the Zoning Committee was submitted by its chairman, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, during the NEC meeting, which was held at the PDP national secretariat.
With this arrangement, the next PDP National Chairman to be elected at the party’s November 15-16 national convention will emerge from the North.
The NEC had earlier confirmed Amb. Umar Damagum as the party’s substantive National Chairman.
Damagum had functioned as Acting National Chairman since August 2023, following the removal from office of Dr Iyorchia Ayu.
The new chairman, who is from Yobe State, was originally elected in 2021 as Deputy National Chairman (North).
However, Damagum’s tenure as substantive national chairman will elapse in December 2025, when a new set of National Working Committee (NWC) members will have emerged.
In a communique issued after the NEC meeting, the party also retained the present zoning arrangement in NWC positions.
“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 their regions for implementation,” the communique said.
The PDP NEC condemned what it viewed as a resort to state capture by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party alleged that the administration, through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians, as witnessed in the APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.
“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarisation of the recent by-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 the 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 defence of the interest and well-being of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our Party to regain power in 2027,” the communique added.
PDP governors who attended the meeting were Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi).
Also at the meeting were a number of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), former governors, former ministers, National Assembly members and other key stakeholders.
The party fixed its next NEC meeting for October 15, 2025.
