“Zoning PDP ticket to south is a default campaign for Tinubu’s re-election” — Olawepo-Hashim

Former presidential candidate and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has faulted the party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the south, describing the move as a serious error that threatens national unity.

The PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on Monday announced that the next presidential candidate of the party would emerge from the south, a decision it said reflects its commitment to democracy and the welfare of Nigerians.

Speaking on Channels Television’s *Politics Today*, Olawepo-Hashim argued that the zoning arrangement effectively excludes northern aspirants from contesting under the party’s platform. “What the decision means is that if you are a northerner, you should find another party,” he said. He added that while previous PDP leaders might have held preferences, they allowed internal processes such as the convention vote to determine outcomes without shutting out any region.

According to him, the NEC’s decision, though reached democratically, contravenes constitutional provisions that prohibit discrimination in elective contests based on origin. He warned that excluded members could challenge the decision in court, potentially jeopardising the PDP’s chances in 2027.

Olawepo-Hashim further linked the zoning push to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. He claimed that many of those advocating for a southern ticket in the PDP are simultaneously supporting Tinubu’s second-term agenda. “To zone the presidency to the south is a default campaign for the return of President Asiwaju,” he said, insisting that the strategy leaves the PDP without a viable challenger.

The PDP had adopted an open contest for its 2023 presidential ticket, a decision that led to internal crises still affecting the party today.