Public affairs analyst, Dr. Lere Olayinka, has said that the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the national chairmanship in the North has vindicated the position earlier championed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking in Abuja after the PDP’s 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Olayinka explained that Wike had consistently maintained that the principle of fairness and balance demanded that the presidency should rotate between North and South. According to him, the latest NEC decision reflects the very stand for which Wike was widely criticized within the party.
“Those who attacked Wike in 2023 for insisting that the South should produce the presidential candidate can now see that he was right all along. The party has finally realized that equity and rotation are the only way to restore internal cohesion and public trust,” Olayinka said.
The PDP’s zoning formula comes at a critical time as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections. Analysts believe the move could re-energize the party in Southern states while giving the North a sense of inclusion through the chairmanship slot.
However, some stakeholders caution that zoning alone may not heal all internal divisions, urging the leadership to also address reconciliation, grassroots mobilization, and policy direction.
The decision is expected to reshape the PDP’s political strategy as it positions itself against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of 2027.
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