The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while keeping the national chairmanship in the North.
This was part of major decisions taken at the party’s 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday in Abuja.
The NEC also officially confirmed Ambassador Iliya Umar Damagum as the substantive national chairman, a position he had held in an acting capacity since 2023.
He will continue in that role until the party’s elective national convention in Ibadan on November 15–16, 2025.
According to a communiqué issued by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, the NEC approved the report of the Zoning Committee, maintaining the current regional structure of national party offices and formally assigning the presidency to the South for the 2027 general election.
Each region was also instructed to begin micro-zoning internal positions in preparation for the upcoming convention.
In addition, the NEC received reports from the Constitution Amendment Committee and ordered that draft amendments be distributed to state chapters for broader consultation and input.
The PDP used the opportunity to criticize the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of “state capture” and alleging electoral misconduct including intimidation and militarisation during recent bye-elections in Kaduna, Taraba, and Zamfara States.
The party warned that such actions threaten democracy and could lead to a de facto one-party state.
In a related development, during the preceding Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting, BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara (represented by Senator Ahmed Makarfi) emphasized the need for unity and reconciliation within the party.
He urged leaders to reach out to estranged members and warned that no political party can succeed with prolonged internal exclusion.
Chairman Damagum echoed this in his NEC address, stressing the importance of internal cohesion, especially at a critical time in Nigeria’s political development.
He reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to gender inclusion, highlighting its support for the affirmative action bill currently before the National Assembly.
Speaking on the zoning outcome, Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, who chaired the Zoning Committee, stated that the decision followed wide consultations with governors, past leaders, and party stakeholders.
He explained that the move is consistent with the PDP’s constitution and long-standing practice of rotational justice.
In its closing resolutions, the NEC reiterated its readiness to “reclaim power in 2027,” vowing to defend democratic values, promote citizen welfare, and offer Nigerians a credible alternative to the APC’s governance.
The next NEC meeting has been scheduled for October 15, 2025, as the party intensifies preparations for the November convention.
