PANDEF to PDP: you have dug your grave for jettisoning zoning

It said the party has dug its grave ahead of the 2023 elections..

The National Publicity Secretary, PANDEF, Ken Robinson, in a statement on Thursday appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid the misteps of the PDP and zone its ticket to the South.

Robinson described the decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the PDP to uphold the Governor Samuel Ortom committee’s recommendation as unfortunate and shameful.

The statement reads: “The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has described as unfortunate the decision of the National Executive Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to uphold the Governor Ortom Committee’s recommendation to throw open the contest for the party’s 2023 presidential ticket. What a shame!

“By this decision, the PDP has simply dug its own grave. Sadly, this is a party whose Constitution unequivocally commits to the Policy of rotation and zoning of Party and Public elective offices in pursuance of the principles of equity, justice and fairness.

“The opinion that the PDP is not obligated to zone its presidential ticket for the 2023 election, is preposterous and illogical, likewise, the implied consideration that it’s only a northern candidate that can secure victory for the party in the 2023 presidential election.”

The statement reminded PDP that former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan are not northerners, yet they won presidential elections for the PDP in 1999, 2003, and 2011.

PANDEF said: “It bears stating that the presidency is not the presidency of a party; it is the presidency of Nigeria. The fact that President Muhammadu Buhari is of the All Progressives Congress is extraneous.

“PANDEF expects the All Progressives Congress (APC) to take advantage of the awful indiscretion of the PDP to consolidate itself as a truly nationalistic party, committed to the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria, by ensuring the emergence of a southern presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.

“PANDEF notes that Nigeria is a great country of outstanding men and women, with incredible possibilities; we cannot afford to fritter the labours of our heroes, past and present, by allowing rapacious politicians to callously and carelessly jettison arrangements and understandings that have sustained the oneness and stability of the country over the years, now.”