The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown its presidential ticket for the 2023 election open, abandoning zoning, which has generated heated controversy in recent times.
Stakeholders of the party had taken different positions on zoning, which Iyiorcha Ayu, National Chairman of the party, said had come to stay.
Last week, a meeting of the PDP zoning committee headed by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State ended without a definite outcome.
However, on Tuesday, the 37-member committee met for over three hours, after which they said recommendations had been sent to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.
Daily Trust quoted a source to have said that the committee affirmed that even though zoning was part of the party’s constitution, it decided to throw open the presidential contest due to exigencies of time and the fact that they were in the opposition and looking for every opportunity to get back to power.
The source said “Our Party was encouraged to always make the issue of zoning very clear at least six months before sales of forms. So that aspirants can know their fate.”
The committee was also said to have commended the contestants who have chosen to unite themselves and work for a consensus candidate.
Already, 13 presidential aspirants have purchased the presidential forms.
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