PDP Is On Path To Perdition Over Refusal To Zone Presidency – SaMBA, POSN

Two national grassroots organisations today stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is on the Path to perdition over its refusal to zone Presidency to the southern region of the country.

The Southern and Middle Belt Alliance (SaMBA) and Peter Obi Support Network (POSN) in a statement released after the opposition party’s decision to throw the office of President open stated that the PDP violated its constitution over failure to zone Presidency, even as the group threatened court action against PDP for violating its own constitution on zoning.

The groups added that the decision of PDP’s National Executive Council (NEC) not to enforce its own laws and zone the ticket to the south has clearly shown that PDP has no regards for the people of the southern region – particularly the South-east and South-south – despite their loyalty to the party since 1999.

The statement signed by Prince Rwang Pam Jnr, for SAMBA and Comrade Sani Saeed Altukry for POSN, reads, ” The decision of the National Executive Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday to abandon zoning and throw the Presidential ticket open, is not only disheartening to the party faithful in the southern region, but also self-destructive to the party being in clear violation of the party’s constitution.

“The PDP Constitution at Chapter One, Section 7(3)(c) clearly provides as follows “…in pursuant of the principles of equity, justice, and fairness the party shall adhere to the policy of rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices, and it shall be enforced by the appropriate Executive Committees at all levels”.

“In compliance of the above constitutional provision, the PDP at their Convention for the 2019 Presidential Primary was an all-northern Affair. The then opposition party – All Progressives Congress (APC) did the same, and we had a North Vs North (i.e., Atiku Vs Buhari) election in 2019.

“The PDP constitutional provision also means that after President Muhamamdu Buhari’s eight years in office in 2023, the presidency will rotate to the South.

“It is quite unfortunate that due to the influence of a few greedy party leaders, the PDP has violated its own constitution by throwing the presidential race open to all-comers.

“It is obvious that party leaders that could recklessly violate its constitution will not uphold the nation’s constitution when it comes to power, and therefore cannot be trusted with our commonwealth.

“There is no gain saying that with this decision of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party surely is on his path to perdition. 

“We hereby call on all southern presidential aspirants to unite and take the party to court on this matter failing which our members that members of the PDP will assume the responsibility and sue the party over this flagrant violation of its own laws.”