The 37-member PDP zoning committee, led by Benue State governor Samuel Ortom, will decide and recommend which geo-political region should fly the party’s presidential ticket in the 2023 election.
The committee, comprising one member drawn from each of the 36 states and the federal capital, Abuja, was assigned the task by the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) with a mandate to report in two weeks’ time.
Ortom, at the maiden meeting of the committee last week, assured that it will come up with a recommendation that will be acceptable to all stakeholders in the country.
He however postponed the meeting till today.
Debate over zoning has failed to abate, with no fewer than 14 presidential aspirants, cut across the geo-political zone, have picked forms.
Yesterday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar submitted his presidential nomination forms at the PDP national secretariat, Abuja.
The forms were submitted for him by media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, who was accompanied by Senator Dino Melaye.
At the submission of the Atiku presidential form, Dokpesi said the Atiku campaign team has “nothing against whatever the party will decide, but the zoning will not be against us.”
On his part, Dino Melaye said “Atiku was the first to pick his form and the first to submit his form. God has told me that Atiku will be the president of Nigeria.”
Obaseki said the country was in dire need of a leader with the capacity to unite and rebuild the nation.
“Forty years ago, we had a big cake to share but not today. That cake has disappeared. Whoever aspires to be president of this country must be somebody who Nigerians are ready to give ingredients to start to rebuild a bigger cake for us all.
“For us in Edo, we are ready for building a bigger, stronger and better Nigeria as we can’t continue the way we are today,” he said, adding the next leader of the country is not about individual aspirations but about Nigeria’s wellbeing.
Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu said they were in Minna to consult with the two former heads of state on national issues and economic development of the country.
He said, “We commended him for his support for the unity of this country and the discussions went very well and we will take it from there.”
