- Confirms Damagum as substantive chairman
- Convention holds in Ibadan, Nov 15–16
Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the national chairmanship in the North, in what leaders of the party described as a move to strengthen internal balance and reposition the opposition ahead of the next general elections.
The decision was part of far-reaching resolutions at the end of the 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday in Abuja.
The meeting also confirmed Ambassador Iliya Umar Damagum, who has been serving in an acting capacity since 2023, as the substantive national chairman. He will serve until the party’s national elective convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.
According to the communiqué issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the NEC unanimously approved the report of its Zoning Committee, which retained all national offices in their current regions while expressly zoning the presidency to the South in 2027.
The party further directed that each region should immediately embark on micro-zoning of positions for smooth implementation ahead of the Ibadan convention.
The NEC also received updates from the Constitution Amendment Committee and directed that the draft proposals be circulated to state chapters and organs of the party for wider input.
On the political climate, the party accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of “state capture,” citing alleged intimidation and militarisation during recent bye-elections in Kaduna, Taraba, and Zamfara States. The PDP warned that such practices were dangerous for democracy, describing them as a clear attempt to foist a one-party state on the country.
Earlier at the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting that preceded the NEC session, Chairman of the BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, represented by Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, urged members to embrace unity, sacrifice, and reconciliation as conditions for electoral success in 2027. He said the party must “extend a hand of reconciliation” to estranged members, stressing that “no political family thrives on endless exclusion.”
Damagum, in his address, underscored the need for cohesion within the ranks of the PDP, warning against factional distractions at a “critical moment in the life of the nation.” He also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to gender inclusion, recalling its support for the affirmative action bill currently before the National Assembly.
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, who chaired the zoning committee, explained that the decision to zone the presidency to the South was reached after wide consultations with governors, former governors, ministers, and other stakeholders. He added that the move was in line with the PDP constitution and consistent with its history of rotational justice.
In its closing resolutions, the NEC reassured Nigerians of its readiness to “reclaim power in 2027,” pledging to defend democracy, protect citizens’ welfare, and present itself as a credible alternative to what it called the APC’s “misrule.”
The NEC fixed its next meeting for October 15, 2025, as preparations intensify for the Ibadan convention.
