Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has led a group of prominent stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in demanding that the party’s 2027 presidential ticket be zoned to the South.
Wike made the call during a strategic PDP stakeholders meeting held in Abuja on Monday, where he emphasised the need for equity, fairness and political balance in the party’s zoning arrangement ahead of the next general elections.
The meeting, attended by party chieftains, former governors, serving lawmakers and other influential members of the PDP from across southern Nigeria, focused on charting a new direction for the party and strengthening internal unity.
Wike, a former Rivers State governor and a key figure in the PDP’s internal power dynamics, insisted that it was time for the South to produce the party’s presidential candidate, having supported northern candidacies in previous cycles.
“We cannot continue to pretend that equity does not matter. The South has made sacrifices in the interest of party unity. Now it is our turn, and we must speak with one voice,” Wike said during the meeting.
He argued that the PDP must demonstrate its commitment to justice and rotational leadership if it is to regain public trust and return to power at the national level.
Several other stakeholders echoed Wike’s position, stressing that zoning the ticket to the South would restore confidence in the party’s commitment to inclusiveness and federal character.
The meeting also called for internal reforms within the PDP, including a review of the party’s constitution to entrench power rotation and a transparent process for selecting the 2027 flagbearer.
Wike urged party leaders to begin early consultations and forge alliances across the South to ensure the region speaks with one voice when the time comes.
The development is expected to intensify internal debates within the PDP, as key figures in the North have also begun positioning themselves for the 2027 contest.
The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has yet to officially respond to the zoning demand, but sources say the matter will feature prominently in upcoming national meetings.
