2023 Presidency: Mass defection looms in South East PDP

Ahead of the 2023 Presidential elections, some prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from South East geopolitical zone have threatened to dump the party for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, if the presidential ticket was not ceded to the zone.

The PDP leaders also vowed not to take vice presidential position from the party, saying that anyone from the zone that accepts vice presidential ticket will be tagged as an enemy of the zone.

A former governor from the zone who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity said that South East has been faithful to the PDP since 1998 despite what happened to the late former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekweme at the convention in Jos.

According to him, “If the PDP refuses to zone the 2023 Presidential ticket to the South East, we will be left with no other option than to leave the party.

“We are solidly behind the position of our brother and Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Umahi. We have supported the party (PDP) and it will be unfortunate if the party decides to take our support for granted.

“We have also vowed that we are not going to accept Vice Presidential ticket from the party and any son or daughter from the zone that accepts to be vice to anyone will be tagged as an enemy of the zone.

“I can also assure you that if the PDP refuses to zone its Presidential ticket to the South East and Governor Umahi leaves, other governors, members of the National Assembly and key stakeholders of the party from South East will also leave.

“You will be surprised with the kind of tsunami that will hit the PDP if it does not handle the issue well. There must be equity and fairness. We should learn how to reward our loyal and dedicated members.

“From the signals we are getting, the APC appears to be ready to zone its presidential ticket to South East and we cannot leave such gesture and follow a party that doesn’t appreciate your loyalty.

“You know that the APC had promised to consider zoning its presidential candidate for 2023 to South East if President Muhammadu Buhari was reelected in 2019. You also know that the President is an upright man. We have the conviction that he will ensure that the APC cedes the position to the zone.

“Some people are already mobilizing for #EndVP protest in South East and we are going to ensure that we make resources available to that effect. It’s going to be a collective thing. And I am assuring you that the country will not regret having a President of South East extraction come 2023.”

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