The PDP 2027 presidential ticket is now officially zoned to the South, ending months of speculation about the party’s direction ahead of the next general elections. The decision, taken during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, has set the stage for a fierce contest among southern leaders.
At its 102nd NEC session, the party also confirmed Umar Damagum as substantive national chairman. National publicity secretary Debo Ologunagba described the move as “a corrective step to restore fairness.”
PDP Zoning Sparks Debate
According to a senior party member who spoke after the meeting, the zoning of the PDP 2027 presidential ticket was “about equity and balance. It is to assure Nigerians that the PDP remains a party of justice. We do not want a repeat of 2023 when the party fractured because we ignored zoning. It’s a way forward.”
But the zoning decision has not gone unchallenged. Former presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim described the exercise as unconstitutional, saying: “Nigeria doesn’t need zoning to produce a competent president. What the PDP has done is an elite conspiracy, not democracy. We will appeal this to the convention because zoning is not in the constitution of the Federal Republic. It is a mockery of internal democracy.”
Jonathan, Makinde, Obi Dominate Conversations
Already, speculation is rife about who could pick the PDP 2027 presidential ticket. Prominent names include:
- Goodluck Jonathan – The former president has been at the center of speculation. Though yet to declare interest, he remains a unifying figure in the PDP with appeal across regional divides. However, questions over his eligibility linger due to constitutional limits on the number of times a person can be sworn in as president.
- Governor Seyi Makinde – At 57, the Oyo State governor is seen as the face of a younger PDP generation. Posters bearing his image have surfaced nationwide, though his allies insist he has not declared. A close confidant said: “Governor Seyi Makinde is very capable… but for now, all that people are saying are mere speculations.”
- Peter Obi – The former Anambra governor, who electrified youths during the 2023 election under the Labour Party, has maintained ties with PDP leaders. The zoning to the South potentially clears the way for a comeback should he choose to run under his former party’s platform.
Other names being whispered include Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, known as the “Talk and Do” governor, and former Bayelsa governor Seriake Dickson. However, Dickson dismissed the speculation, saying: “This is an unfounded rumour… What I am thinking of is going back to the Senate, because my people want me to continue.”
PDP’s Gamble Ahead of 2027
Analysts say zoning the PDP 2027 presidential ticket to the South is both a nod to the party’s founding principle of balance and a gamble for survival. The decision could shape the PDP’s relevance as Nigeria’s main opposition party in an era of shifting loyalties.
Whether the party rallies behind a statesman like Jonathan, a generational leader like Makinde, or a populist force like Obi, the choice will determine its strength at the 2027 polls and its ability to reconnect with Nigerians.
