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Former PDP presidential candidate calls zoning “a big error”
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Warns decision threatens party unity, legality, and inclusivity
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Says move strengthens Tinubu’s re-election prospects
Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has faulted the party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, warning that it risks party unity and undermines Nigeria’s political balance.
Speaking on Channels Television, Olawepo-Hashim described the decision as “a big error” and “unprecedented” in the PDP’s history.
He recalled that in previous conventions, aspirants from all regions contested openly and delegates determined outcomes, citing the 1999 and 2003 presidential primaries as examples.
He warned that the decision could face legal challenge for violating constitutional provisions on discrimination, stressing that any excluded member could seek redress in court. He added that while the National Executive Committee took the decision democratically, errors made by NEC in the past had been reversed and the current move should also be revisited.
Olawepo-Hashim compared the situation to the 2014 crisis when former president Goodluck Jonathan declared himself sole candidate, which triggered defections and contributed to the PDP’s 2015 defeat. He argued that the current zoning decision risks repeating that mistake.
He dismissed claims that the policy corrects the 2023 rebellion by the G5 governors, insisting that PDP traditions had always allowed open competition across zones.
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He further alleged that zoning the ticket effectively boosts President Bola Tinubu’s re-election chances, describing it as a “default campaign” for the ruling APC.
Despite his criticism, he welcomed the ratification of Ambassador Umar Damagum as PDP chairman, praising the party’s tradition of debate and internal democracy.
He maintained that the PDP’s strength lies in inclusivity and open contest, warning that zoning betrays that legacy and could cost the party in 2027.
