Bode George Insists PDP Must Adhere to Zoning for 2027

Bode George, a former National Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), emphasized the importance of adhering to the power rotation principle between the North and South for the party’s success in the upcoming 2027 elections.

During his address to the nation titled “My Thoughts on The State of Our Country in the Last 25 Years: A Time to Chart A New Direction,” George stressed the significance of maintaining this grundnorm.

His comments were in response to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s statement that he would withdraw his presidential ambition in 2027 if the PDP selects the Labour Party’s candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, in the 2023 elections. George highlighted the necessity of upholding the principle of power rotation within the party, citing the lessons learned from the defeat in 2023 as a reminder of the consequences of deviating from this fundamental rule.

George underscored the importance of abiding by the party’s constitution, which was crafted by the founding father, Baba Ekwueme, and his team.

READ ALSO: 2027: PDP Needs to Commit to Zoning Policy- Bode George

He emphasized that the party’s constitution serves as a guiding light and stressed the need to learn from past mistakes to avoid further setbacks. Referring to Section 7 sub-section 3C of the party’s constitution, George reiterated the significance of adhering to zoning and rotation procedures for both party and elective positions to ensure the party’s success and cohesion.

He explained that the founding fathers of the party divided the country into six geo-political zones in order to represent both the majority and minority tribes and ensure inclusivity.

The historical problem since 1960 has been the tension between the majority and minority tribes, with the majority tribes having more influence while the minority tribes were left as mere spectators.

This power imbalance was a major factor in the occurrence of coups and counter coups. To address this issue, the founding fathers proposed that the top six positions in the country be shared among the six geo-political zones to promote fairness and justice.

These positions include the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and Chairman of the party. Additionally, it was agreed that every eight years, the positions held by the northern zones would be transferred to the southern zones and vice versa, ensuring a rotation of power. However, when the PDP started deviating from this principle, it caused division within the party.