Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has strongly criticized the party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, calling it a “big error” that could jeopardize the party’s chances in the next general election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today shortly after the PDP’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, Olawepo-Hashim warned that the zoning decision might inadvertently serve as an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“Zoning the presidency to the South is a default campaign for the return of President Bola Tinubu. Those behind this move claim to be in PDP but are working for Tinubu,” he alleged.
While acknowledging that the zoning decision was reached democratically by a majority vote, he said it was a strategic miscalculation that could weaken the PDP’s competitiveness in 2027.
Olawepo-Hashim argued that the PDP had never formally restricted any region from contesting the presidency in past elections.
He cited past primaries where multiple aspirants from different zones vied for the party’s ticket:
In 1999, General Olusegun Obasanjo ran against northern candidates like Alhaji Rimi and Alex Ekwueme.
In 2003, Obasanjo again contested the party’s ticket against Chief Barnabas Gemade (Benue) and Alhaji Rimi (Kano).
“The PDP has always allowed open competition. This zoning decision breaks from that tradition,” he noted.
Olawepo-Hashim also raised legal concerns, warning that the decision may trigger a constitutional crisis.
He argued that Nigeria’s Constitution does not permit discrimination against party members based on geographic origin when it comes to contesting elective offices.
“The constitution guarantees every Nigerian equal right to participate. This zoning move could violate that principle,” he said.
