The coast appears clear for former President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, to contest the 2027 presidential race as the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its presidential ticket to the southern part of the country.

The duo of Jonathan and Obi had been under pressure from their supporters to contest the presidential election in 2023, a development that has propelled both of them to start eyeing the PDP as their potential platform.

While Jonathan has yet to formally and openly yield to pressure, many of his supporters recently went to town to say he had consented to run in 2027 and on the platform of the opposition PDP.

The preference for Jonathan is ensconced in the belief that he is the most suitable candidate for North?s buy-in, since he is constitutionally constrained to a term of four years.

But Obi, on his part, had though joined the coalition-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a foundation member, while at the same time maintaining a faction of the Labour Party, some tendencies in the PDP had also considered him a good choice for presidency given his staggering support, both online and offline.

This is in addition to the fact that Obi had openly indicated interest in the 2027 presidential bout without saying on which political party he would run.

Part of his concern and that of his supporters stemmed from alleged signs that the ADC might leave the ticket open, a decision that could make the ticket an easy take for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, a veteran northern presidential hopeful.

Thus, if it was looking like the ADC might play into the hands of Atiku, supporters of Obi, who had insisted he must be on the ballot believed the PDP offers a stronger and better platform, compared to the Labour Party, which has been badly balkanised from internal disagreements.

However, the PDP at its NEC, yesterday, made the path to 2027 smoother for Jonathan and Obi, when it ratified the zoning of the party?s presidential ticket to the south of Nigeria.

The NEC also meeting approved that the office of the national chairman be zoned to the North.

Chairman of the Zoning committee, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, presented the committee?s report to NEC.

The NEC further approved the retention of other national offices of the National Working Committee (NWC) to the zones of the outgoing members, but said the micro-zoning would be done by the respective zones to determine which state gets what.

National Publicity Secretary of party, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after the NEC meeting.

Reading the communiqu?, Debo Ologunagba, said the zoning committee recommended that all elective positions currently held in the north and south should be retained.

He explained that with the north retaining the position of national chairman, the party?s presidential ticket would go to the south, while other offices of the NWC would be decided in their respective states.

?NEC expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness of the party at its various organs, chapters and structures for the 2025 elective national convention scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital on Saturday 15th to Sunday 16th November 2025.

?NEC acknowledged with satisfaction the efforts and commitment of PDP Governors? Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT), the National Working Committee (NWC), the National Assembly Caucus and other relevant bodies of the party towards the success of the forthcoming 2025 National Convention at Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.

?NEC received and after extensive deliberation approved the report of the National Convention Zoning Committee, which recommended as follows:

?That all PDP National Office positions currently in the Northern Region of the country remain in the Northern Region. That all PDP National Office positions currently in the Southern Region of the country remain in the Southern Region.

?That having retained the position of the National Chairman in the Northern Region of the country, the Presidential Candidate of the Party for the 2027 General Election is hereby zoned to the Southern Region.

?That the Regions should immediately micro-zone positions within its Region for implementation.

?NEC also received update from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed the Committee to circulate the Draft Constitution Amendment to various Organs and Chapters of the party for further inputs.

?In recognition of the efforts of the National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of the National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Umar Damagum in stabilising the Party, NEC hereby ratifies and confirms the appointment of Amb. Iliya Umar Damagum as the substantive National Chairman of the Party with effect from today, Monday, 25th August, 2025 until the National Convention holding at Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital on 15th to 16th November, 2025.

?NEC condemns the resort by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to State Capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in APC?s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.

?NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarization of the recent bye-elections especially in Kaduna and Taraba States as well as Zamfara State, where excessive security agencies were deployed in the conduct of run-off election in only five Polling Units in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency.

?NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of APC?s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian One-Party State which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.

?NEC reassures Nigerians of PDP?s commitment to Democracy and the defence of the interest and wellbeing of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our Party to regain power in 2027.

?NEC adjourned and fixed its next (103rd) meeting to hold on Wednesday, 15th October, 2025,? the communique stated.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the PDP Governors? Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, has raised the alarm that some of the aggrieved members of the party were trying to use some security officials to penetrate the leaders of the party for the purpose of stopping the national convention expected to hold on November 16.

Mohammed called on leaders of the party to be vigilant as some aggrieved members of the party are working desperately to scuttle the planned November 16 national convention in Ibadan.

According to him, ??Intelligence report says some aggrieved members of the party are working desperately working to penetrate the leadership of the party to scuttle the planned national convention.?

He, however, assured them that the PDP would surmount all odds and navigate the party to a successful national convention and ensure Nigeria was rescued from grips of the APC.

?We are working very hard, to ensure that we make our party the darling of Nigerians, where we have shown resilience, capacity and, of course, unity between us.

?We are really navigating the temptations and also some of the challenges that most of you are aware, the challenges even within the National Working Committee, so that we can cautiously and cleverly navigate to convention.

?All the remaining issues of the various congresses have been resolved by the Working Committee with the help of the governors and other elders.

?Today, I would say that all the communications to INEC have been signed by our National Working Committee and that we don?t have any determining issue. So, we are navigating and we are working very well, and of course, we?ll do our best to ensure that this party remains united.?

Also, Damagum warned for the umpteenth time, that the party was bigger than any individual or individuals or factions plotting against the party.

Damagum was confirmed as the substantive national chairman of the PDP. He replaced former national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, who was suspended in May 2023. But a Benue High Court eventually sacked him in June 2023.

Accepting his new position, he pledged to work honestly to improve and lift the party throughout his remaining tenure.

Damagum in an earlier address, said, ?No individual or individuals or faction is bigger than the party.?

In the same vein, the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara, represented by the secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, called on the NEC meeting to tamper justice with mercy and accept defecting members back to the party.

Almost all the PDP governors were in attendance except governors of Plateau State who was in Brazil with President Bola Tinubu on a state visit, and the governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, who hosted the meeting of the Nigeria Bar Association.

The next NEC meeting has been slated for October 15.

Wike Has Been Vindicated, Declares Aide

In a related development, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the FCT, Lere Olayinka, has said his principal, Nyesom Wike, has been vindicated by the decision of the PDP NEC to zone the presidency to the South, while retaining the National Chairman of the party in the North.

Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the minister, Lere Olayinka, in a statement, described the party?s position as another clear vindication of the G-5?s position in 2022.

Olayinka said: ?Now, that the party has realised its mistake of not listening to Wike and the G-5 in 2022, and have chosen to do what they said, three years after, have they not been vindicated now?

?Recall that the FCT Minister and the G-5 had insisted that the presidential candidate of the PDP and its National Chairman must not remain in the same zone, insisting that since Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, from the North had emerged as the presidential candidate, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, also from the North must resign to pave the way for a National Chairman from the South.

?Ayu, however, insisted on not resigning, with Atiku and his group backing him. Aftermath of this was the electoral misfortune the party suffered in 2023, followed by instability after the elections.

?But today, the NEC resolved that since the National Chairman of the party is zoned to the North, the PDP 2027 Presidential ticket be zoned to the South. Has PDP not come back to eat its own vomit??

He blasted PDP for refusing to abide by the truth, saying, ?Wike simply said, take the chairmanship to the South if you want to gain the presidency, but they said no, they must take the two, and the PDP lost!

?They have realised the mistake they made in 2022 and are correcting it in 2025. But is it not too late already, bearing in mind that the only way the zoning can be justified is for the South to conclude its eight years, while the presidency returns to the North in 2031?? (THISDAY)

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