The South East will not produce Nigeria’s next President on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 2023.
This is the position of Nigeria’s leading opposition party after unveiling it’s zoning of offices ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Based on this development, all eyes will now be on the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC which is yet to unfold it’s zoning plans.
If the APC fails to conceed the presidency to the South East, then an Igbo President in 2023 looks bleak and may fuel further agitations for independent nation of Biafra, as championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The PDP zoning Commitee led by Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, rather penciled the South East for Senate Presidency, a position held by Igbos during the reign of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
During Obasanjo’s presidency from 1999 to 2007, Igbo produced four Senate Presidents- Late Evan Enwerem, Late Chuba Okadigbo, Adolphus Wabara and Anyim Pius Anyim.
The party rather choose the North West to produce it’s presidential flagbearer ahead of 2023.
Since democracy returned to Nigeria in 1999, the North West zone has produced two presidents. Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
The PDP zoning Commitee zoned the office of the Vice President to the South-South, a zone which had produced Goodluck Jonathan as Vice President, Acting President and later President.
The South West, will produce the party’s National Chairman ahead of the 2023 elections. The South West had produced Olusegun Obasanjo as President and Yemi Osibanjo as Vice President from 1999 till date.
Analysts who analyzed the PDP’s zoning arrangement argue that it is unfortunate despite the South East enormous contribution and it’s allegiance to the PDP, it did not deem the zone appropriate to produce it’s presidential flagbearer in 2023.
“The South East has been consistent with the PDP from 1999 till date. This is unfortunate and a set back for the agitation of a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023. The PDP has repaid the Igbo nation with a bad coin” said Hon. Donatus Anyanwu, a chieftain of the party in Imo State.