2023 presidency: A payback time for PDP to South-East -By Onyejaka Alex Arinze

It is true that PDP presidential zoning committee tried to play safe by throwing open the contest for its presidential aspirants to everyone. It is more out of fear of losing 2023 presidential election, which might be disaster for its survival. But it is better to err on the side of caution. Is it not better to do what is right, fair, equitable and just and let history be the judge? The south east has a good case here to demand that PDP zones its presidential ticket to the region. Since the return of this democratic rule and formation of political parties in 1999, the region has stuck to PDP at the federal. They have sheepishly followed PDP and all its presidential candidates at its own detriment. They’ve been paid for this especially by President Buhari led government.

Zoning 2023 presidential candidate, no doubt, has been a difficult decision for both PDP and APC. PDP should be more circumvent in doing this. What I expected it to do in this circumstances is to constitute a presidential zoning committee, knowing full well that power should return to the south after president Buhari tenure in 2023. The mandate of the committee should be to rally round all its presidential candidates, especially those from the North, who have benefited from the unwavering supports of the people of South East in the past, appeal to them to them to drop their ambition and support a consensus candidate from South-East.

The likes of Atiku, Tambuwal, Saraki and Bala, will be reached for this. The same appeal should be extended to Gov. Wike and other south-south presidential candidates in PDP to drop their ambitions and reciprocate the support South-East gave to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and their region in 2011 and 2015 presidential election. It is a payback time. Former president Obasanjo who between 1999 and 2023, at both PDP’s convention and general elections, enjoyed the overwhelming supports of the people of South East can also help to get together South West PDP and remind them of the need to return their support to the South-East. It is a payback time.

For fairness, equity and justice they (south-west) should concede 2023 presidential candidacy to their southern brother across the Niger. When all these are done amicably, they will gladly and collectively lend their structures and support to a consensus candidate from South East. Then the fear of losing the 2023 presidential election will be minimal and their chances will be broadened. This is what I expected from PDP presidential zoning committee.

Onyejaka Alex Arinze