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South-South PDP to meet, take position on 2023 presidency

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The apparent delay regarding the issue of zoning within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not without the subtle politicking of stakeholders who are set to lay claims to certain positions ahead of the 2023 elections.

The South-South zone of the party is not left out as it has called a meeting of stakeholders in the party to deliberate on issues affecting the party in the zone.

Arising from a Zonal Working Committee meeting of PDP, South South, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday, a statement by Bishop Etim Ante, Zonal Publicity Secretary, stated that “the meeting resolved to organize a SPECIAL STAKEHOLDERS MEETING in Akwa Ibom State on the 14th day of March,2022 to fortify and strengthen the Party in the zone”.

He also noted that the “Meeting shall be attended by strategic stakeholders of the Party at various levels. This includes the hierarchy of the party structure, Former and serving top officers of the Party, Executive and legislative arms of government , both at the National and State levels of PDP family and other critical party leaders across the zone.

“The zone appreciates our Governors, Legislators and relevant stakeholders of the party for their unflinching support and urge them to continue with their good work which has brought our dear Party to the limelight and made PDP the pride of the Nation.

The zone resolved to continue to work in harmony with all the party structures, the Government and Legislatures of our party to bring the party in the zone and beyond, to a greater height”.

Though it was not specified, it was gathered that the meeting may have also been called by the party leaders in the zone to take a position as the 2023 general elections draw closer.

Despite the clamour for a return of the Presidency to the South after the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in 2023, public proclamations by Northern politicians such as Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki amongst others have sowed a seed of dissension amongst the ranks of the PDP with leaders from the Southern region, especially the South-East and the South-South aggrieved at the turn of events.

Read also: South-South PDP visits Wike, reiterates call for regional security outfit

The South is home to eight PDP governors namely; Nyesome Wike (RIvers), Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), Duoye Diri (Bayelsa), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi as well as Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) with Wike being the most vociferous amongst the lot about a return of the Presidency to the South.

Wike, who is renowned for his belligerent stance on national issues, had warned that the country would tremble when the South makes a declarative statement concerning the 2023 presidential election.

The Rivers State Governor issued this warning on Saturday in a statement signed by his spokesman, Kelvin Ebiri.

“The day the South will speak, Nigeria will shake.We believe in the unity of this country, but nobody can threaten us. Nobody should threaten us. We believe in the unity of Nigeria and unity of Nigeria must continue,” Wike said.

He also berated the entrenchment of money politics in the system, whereby some conniving politicians scheme for a politician due to the amount of wealth he has, not necessarily for their competence.

“No amount of gang up can make PDP to give somebody who will want to run election for the interest of some big men, and not for all Nigerians,” he said.

“Anybody who wants to be candidate of PDP must be candidate for the interest of Nigerians”, he had stated.

The desire of a 2023 Southern Presidency was further buttressed by a prominent South-South leader, Sir Edwin Clark, who warned Atiku, Saraki, and other northerners nursing presidential ambition ahead of 2023 to step down their bid in the interest of justice.

According to him, any refusal to cede the 2023 Presidency to the South might lead to a breakup of the country.

“Both by the PDP Constitution and by convention, it is now the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the President of Nigeria, in 2023, after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years.

“To do otherwise is to invite chaos, which will lead to the disintegration of our dear country,” he said.

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