Former presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dele Momodu, has faulted the zoning of presidential tickets ahead of the 2027 election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, Momodu described zoning as a political tool of blackmail aimed at weakening opposition parties. He argued that zoning sentiments were unconstitutional and intentionally designed to reduce competition against President Bola Tinubu.
‘Zoning Favours the Ruling Party’
Momodu insisted that Nigeria’s Constitution does not prevent any citizen, regardless of region, from contesting for the presidency. He said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) benefits most from zoning decisions.
“This sentiment is simply blackmail. It is a deliberate attempt to weaken other parties,” Momodu stated. “If opposition parties zone their tickets to the South, none of them can defeat President Tinubu.”
He further explained that the strategy discourages other aspirants from challenging the APC. “Once you tell people Tinubu is already in office, they see no reason to present another southern candidate. That is the plan,” he added.
PDP ‘Hijacked and at a Dead End’
Commenting on the state of the PDP, Momodu claimed the party had been “hijacked” by loyalists of the ruling APC. According to him, some PDP members remain in the party while secretly working for the APC.
“It is an anomaly. If you disagree with your party, the honourable step is to resign. That is why I left,” he said. “The PDP is at a dead end. Some people are desperate to keep it alive artificially, like a body in an ICU.”
Now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Momodu dismissed reports of an automatic presidential ticket for any aspirant, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. “ADC has not promised an automatic ticket to anyone,” he clarified.
PDP’s 2027 Zoning Decision
The zoning controversy resurfaced after the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on August 25. The NEC resolved to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the party’s chairmanship in the North.
The NEC also confirmed Umar Damagum as national chairman following Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s suspension in March 2023. Party leaders argued that the decision would stabilise the PDP before the 2027 elections.
Critics, however, believe zoning could weaken the PDP against the APC, which has already adopted Tinubu as its candidate. Although the PDP has yet to announce its flagbearer, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, earlier warned that zoning the ticket to the North would fail.
Source: Channels TV
