Ahead of the 2019 general elections and the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leaders, and elders of the party from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Tuesday converged on Abuja to strategise on the way forward especially on the Zoning arrangements.
Going by the speakers at the opening ceremony of the Stakeholders meeting convened by Professor Jerry Gana, a member of the Board of Trustees, BOT, of the Party, they resolved to produce it a Presidential candidate in 2019 while the South should produce a credible National Chairman of the party at its December elective National Convention.
They all insisted that nothing would alter the zoning formula of the party as earlier agreed upon at the last Port- Harcourt Convention.
The Speakers included: Senator Jubril Wali, the Chairman BOT, Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee, NCC, Senator Ahmadu Ali, a one time National Chairman, Dr Haliru Bello, a one time National Chairman, Senator Iyocha Ayu, a former President of the Senate, Alhaji Kabiru Turaki, a one time Minister and Ambassador Fidelix Tapgun among others.
The Convener of the meeting and former Information Minister, Professor Jerry Gana while welcoming delegates stressed the need for the party to elect the best candidates in accordance with the zoning formula of the party.
According to him, “the recent declaration of a Presidential ambition by Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose should be dismissed as the party’s position on the Presidency in 2019 is already known by members.
“I want to appeal to you to give to the party the very best in the positions that have been zoned to us. Let us, therefore, give to the party, men, and women of impeccable integrity.
“Whatever the Fayoses of this world may be doing, the party has resolved that the Presidential candidate will come from one of the three zones in the North.”
Also speaking in the same vein, the NCC National Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi lauded the sacrifices of delegates to the meeting, saying the fact that they paid their way to Abuja, took care of their accommodation and feeding, is a pointer to their unflinching loyalty to the PDP project.
While speaking on the position of the Party on the Zoning arrangement, Makarfi said “The Port Harcourt convention remain valid and one of the decisions taken at that convention was zoning. Micro-zoning does not have a binding effect.”
According to him, “If a position is zoned to the North and you are from the North and you come to buy form, we will sell for you and if you go out of your way to vie for a position not zoned to you to buy form, we will also sell for you but the delegates will vote you at the Convention.”
Makarfi further called for unity among the Party members without which, the party would find it difficult to stage a comeback to power in 2019.
Speaking on the progress made so far in the reconciliation efforts by the party, Makarfi disclosed that the entire machinery of Labour Party in Osun State had resolved to join the PDP in a matter of days.
In their remarks, the duo of Ahmadu and Haliru Mohammed warned Party members to respect and support the Zoning arrangements of the Party ahead of the 2019 general elections for the party to make any meaningful outing in the coming general elections.
They vowed that any member of the Party who mighty be contemplating going against the arrangement by contesting for any office or position not zoned to his or her geo-political zone should be ready to face the Party’s wrath.
Also speaking at the meeting, former Senate President, Dr Iyorchia Ayu said the PDP must put an end to impunity and dictatorship as preparations for the convention intensity, even as he urged the party to leverage on its presence at the grassroots to return to power.
According to him,”The PDP is a party that was formed to fight dictatorship; it’s an anti-dictatorship party. Let’s stop imposing candidates and allow them to emerge through electoral democracy or through consensus.
“We have representation in all the 774 local governments in the country. If we mobilise them, we will return to power, Nigerians still love and belief in PDP, what we need to restore their confidence in us is to keep away from those things that made also to fail at the 2015 elections.”
Present at the meeting were former Governors Ibrahim Idris, Idris Wada (Kogi), Ramalan Hero (Kaduna), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano), Ibrahim Schema( Katsina), and erstwhile Ministers, Abba Moro( Internal Affairs), Adamu Maina Waziri (Police Affairs), Kabiru Turaki (Special Duties) ,Zainab Maina (Women Affairs) and Professor Ahmed Rufai Alkali, a one time National Publicity Secretary of the Party and Former Political Adviser to Former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, and former National Woman Leader, Ina Ciroma among others.