The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, setting the stage for potential challengers to President Bola Tinubu, including Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, should he return to the party.
The decision was taken at the party’s 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday in Abuja.
The NEC also upheld the current National Working Committee (NWC) zoning formula for the November 2025 elective convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, and confirmed Ambassador Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman, effective August 25, 2025.
Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, explained that the decision followed the submission of a report by the 44-member zoning committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri.
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Key highlights of the NEC communiqué include:
- All PDP national offices currently held in the North remain in the North, while those in the South remain in the South.
- Since the National Chairman remains in the North, the 2027 presidential ticket is zoned to the South.
- Regions were directed to micro-zone positions internally for implementation.
- The NEC expressed satisfaction with preparations for the 2025 National Convention scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan.
The NEC also condemned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of “state capture through intimidation, inducement, and militarisation of elections” in recent bye-polls in Kaduna, Taraba, and Zamfara States.
Implications for 2027 Presidential Race
The zoning decision clears the way for southern aspirants, with Governor Makinde seen as a frontrunner, having played a pivotal role in stabilising the PDP during its post-2023 crises.
Other potential aspirants include:
- Peter Obi, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, who is being courted to return to the PDP.
- Former President Goodluck Jonathan, should he decide to re-enter active politics.
- Other Southern leaders with strong political bases.
Tanko Yunusa, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, said Obi was focused on the November 8 Labour Party governorship race before deciding on his political future:
“He has room to study the situation until after November. We need to give him time to weigh the pros and cons before he makes his move,” Yunusa told 9am News Nigeria.
Reactions Within and Outside the PDP
- Governor Bala Mohammed, Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, said leaders were working to reconcile party factions ahead of 2027.
- Adolphus Wabara, PDP BoT Chairman, emphasised unity, sacrifice, and reconciliation as crucial for reclaiming power.
- Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister, said the decision vindicated the G-5 governors’ 2022 stance that the chairmanship and presidential ticket should not come from the same zone.
- Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, PDP chieftain, warned the zoning move could amount to an “endorsement of Tinubu’s re-election bid.”
- APC reaction: Party spokesman Bala Ibrahim dismissed the PDP’s chances, insisting Tinubu’s performance guarantees him a second term: “Regardless of where they zone their ticket, the APC will beat them hands down. Tinubu is delivering on policies that resonate with Nigerians,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bauchi State PDP chapter pledged total loyalty to the zoning arrangement, stressing that unity would be prioritised over individual preferences.
Makinde’s aide, Dare Adeleke, said the Oyo governor is well-positioned to clinch the ticket, citing his leadership in rallying PDP governors during the 2023 crisis:
“If not for Makinde, the PDP would have gone into extinction. He fought hard to keep the party alive,” Adeleke stated.
PDP’s Long Zoning History
Disputes over zoning have repeatedly split the PDP since 2015:
- In 2015, northern leaders opposed Jonathan’s candidacy, leading to PDP’s loss.
- In 2023, the G-5 governors revolted against Atiku Abubakar’s northern candidacy, weakening the party.
- In 2025, the PDP appears to be correcting past mistakes by aligning the chairmanship in the North and the presidential ticket in the South.
With zoning resolved, the battle now shifts to who will emerge as the PDP’s southern flagbearer. The primaries will determine whether the party consolidates around Makinde, lures Obi back, or rallies behind another heavyweight.
For the APC, the zoning decision is dismissed as irrelevant, with the ruling party confident that Tinubu’s incumbency advantage and ongoing reforms will secure a 2027 victory.
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