A stalwart of the People’s Democratic Party and Leader of the Concerned Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) League, Comrade Daboikiabo Z. Warmate, has described the recent statements of some party leaders and presidential aspirants from northern extraction as unfortunate, misleading, and being economical with the truth.
Comrade Warmate stated this in Abuja while fielding questions from reporters, and condemned the statements by Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who are insisting that the Presidential ticket of the party should be thrown open to candidates from both Southern and Northern Nigeria. The statement is a desecration of the PDP and Nigeria’s constitution. Buhari will soon complete eight years in office and another northerner can not do four or eight years again. This would be more than third-term.
“In the tradition of political parties in Nigeria, the party chairmanship and presidential slot are usually alternated between the North and the South. In what appeared a semblance of the Federal Character Principle in the constitution of Nigeria, the PDP enshrined zoning and rotation of national party and public offices in its Constitution at inception in 1998 to give a sense of belonging to its members from both South and North of the nation just as the constitution has guided”, said warmate.
“The 1998 Jos PDP Convention for the presidential primary that saw the party ticket exclusively zoned to the South, with two major candidates, Chief Olusegun Obansanjo GCFR with 1,658 Votes, 67.98% and Chief Alex Ekwueme who scored 521 votes, 21.36% is a testament to the above. The North watched from the sidelines having wielded power for about 20yrs uninterrupted (1st Oct 1979 to 29th May 1999).”
” In 2003 PDP Presidential ticket was technically zoned to the south with former President Obasanjo GCFR as incumbent President, contested. The two major aspirants were Southerners Chief Obasanjo GCFR who scored 2642 votes, 75%, and Chief Ekwueme of blessed memory came second with 611 votes, 17%. Although Alhaji Rimi of blessed memory with 159 votes and Chief Gemade, who has left the party got 17 votes, contested despite the party position.”
“And in 2006, PDP had both Southern and Northern aspirants who contested the primary, desspite that it was technically zoned to the north and the governors of PDP-controlled states, decided on him (Umar Yar Adua GCFR of blessed memory) as their “consensus candidate” and urged all party delegates to vote for him, Rochas Okorocha from South East still contested and was a distant 2nd with 372 votes to the winner, HE Umaru Musa Yar’Adua GCFR of blessed memory from the NorthWest scored 3,024 votes. While Muhammed Gusau, a retired general came third with 271 votes. PDP is sometimes unlucky to have those that feel their interest is worth more than the party’s interest”, he said”.
According to warmate, the same scenario played out in the 2011 PDP primary, when Jonathan from South-South defeated Atiku from North East with 2,736 representing 78% and he was trailed by 805 votes, respectively. Again this was despite that the position was technically zone to the south because of the exigency at the time. And also Jonathan as incumbent president ran in 2014 which precipitated the decamping of some of the faces we are seeing today, seeking for the party presidential nomination, who opined at the time that the presidential ticket was supposed to be zoned to the north.
“The 2019 PDP Presidential ticket was also this time exclusively zoned to the North. Atiku & Dankwambo (North East) and Atiku beat the rest with 1532 votes, Dankwambo got 111 votes, Saraki & David Mark (North Central) 35 and 317, and Tambuwal, Kwankwaso, Markafi, Turaki & Lamido (North West) scored 693, 158, 74, 65 and 96, respectively, were the major aspirants.” Since his entry into politics in 1993, HE Atiku Abubakar has unsuccessfully contested five times for the Office of President of Nigeria in 1993, 2007, 2011, 2015, and 2019. I humbly plead with HE Atiku to take a bow and rest.
“You would recall how we lost the election and were almost consumed in the dangerous interests attrition in the 2015 presidential primary. It was zoning that was used to avoid a repeat of such in 2019 with only candidates from the north as stated above, and now the same people are denying it. But PDP should be careful and needs to stand by its zoning principle for the 2015 history not to repeat itself in 2023. The Sen. Ayu-led PDP national leadership needs to be bold and courageous now than ever to zone the Presidency to the south without further delay, Comrade Warmate insisted.
“Zoning in PDP has brought an appreciable level of peace and stability. It’s not surprising coming from politicians that their interest is worth more than the party and national interest to deny what is written in black and white in Nigeria and PDP constitution for personal and selfish reasons.”
“We don’t want aspirants that are not guided by the party and Nigeria interest but their interest, just as one of the Governorship aspirants that decamped some hours after losing the PDP Governorship primary in Ekiti State. That’s why I am saying, 2023 Presidency Zoning, May the loyalty of Atiku, Saraki, Tambuwal, Kwankwaso, Lamido be tested by zoning the presidency to the south.
The most unbearable aspect of this shenanigans is that those from the North that have indicated interest to contest for the Presidential ticket are not legacy aspirants like HE A. M Makarfi or HE David Mark. And by legacy aspirants I mean, those that have never left the PDP nor worked against the interest of the party, the Concerned PDP League Leader concluded.
