Group rejects PDP zoning plan for 2027

Leaders of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement (GHSM) in Ondo state have rejected the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, describing it as “laughable, undemocratic and unacceptable.”

Rising from a meeting in Akure, the group condemned what it termed “a deliberate attempt by some powerful rapacious individuals within the party who are acting like undertakers sent to bury the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.”

In a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Hon. Onaopemipo Adekunle, the group faulted the zoning arrangement, insisting it was a calculated plot to shut out credible aspirants from the North, particularly Dr. Gbenga Hashim.

“This decision is a deliberate constitutional breach aimed at foisting a weak candidate on our party. It is a clear strategy to shut out candidates from the Northern extraction, especially Dr. Gbenga Hashim, knowing fully well that he has built formidable structures across the states and has networks of supporters across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. He is well-known, well-educated, experienced and above all, cannot be bought,” Onaopemipo declared.

The GHSM spokesperson maintained that the PDP NEC lacked the legal powers to impose such restrictions.

He said “The PDP constitution does not empower the NEC to zone elective offices to a particular region, and the Nigerian Constitution itself frowns against any discrimination based on ethnicity, creed, religion, sex, or political opinion. What the NEC has done is not only unconstitutional but also dangerous to the unity and survival of our party.”

Recalling the precedent of 1999, Onaopemipo noted that despite the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election and the death of its presumed winner, Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the PDP did not zone its ticket to the South.

He explained, “In 1999, aspirants from across the country contested freely – Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi and many others. That was how PDP built credibility and trust. Zoning is at best a matter of moral persuasion; it is never legally binding on any political party or aspirant,” he explained.

The movement warned that shutting the door against aspirants like Hashim could spell doom for the PDP in 2027.

The group said “If this zoning decision stands, it will not only weaken our chances in the general election but may also lead to the party not having a valid presidential candidate at all, because of possible disqualification by the courts of competent jurisdiction,” the group warned.

Calling on party leaders to urgently reverse the decision, the group reaffirmed its loyalty to Dr. Hashim’s presidential bid.

“We call on the NEC to quickly reverse this undemocratic decision to avert looming legal actions. In the same vein, we urge our members to remain calm, focused and resolute in their support for Dr. Gbenga Hashim in the 2027 presidential race,” the statement concluded.

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