Governors elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today (Monday) meet in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to strategize for the 2023 general elections.
A statement issued on Sunday by the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Cyril Maduabum said the meeting is aimed at consolidating on how to rescue and rebuild Nigeria through the 2023 poll.
According to the Director-General, the meeting will also review the current state of the nation and the readiness of the opposition party to provide the necessary leadership to rescue and rebuild the country.
He stated that all the elected PDP governors are expected to attend the meeting which is coming after a Gala night hosted by the Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike.
“The PDP governors are working in concert and consultations with other party leaders, particularly the Ayu-led National Executive Committee of the PDP, to craft a credible process and programme for Nigeria’s positive rebirth,” he added.
Although Maduabum’s statement did not state that the forum would discuss strategies for winning the 2023 elections, it was learnt that the governors would talk about the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket and advise the National Working Committee on where the slot should be zoned to.
Source gathered that the party may also look at arriving at a consensus presidential candidate if possible.
An aide of one of the PDP governors said they were likely to discuss the zoning of the presidential ticket of the party.
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According to the source, the PDP governor’s meeting may advise the new National Working Committee of the party to zone the presidential ticket to the north as a strategy to return to power in 2023.
The source said, “Though the party has earlier said the presidential ticket of the party will be thrown open, preference is being given to the north as a ploy to woo northern voters.
“There are power brokers in the north that don’t want to relinquish power, so it will be in the interest of the PDP to zone their presidential ticket to the north and pick a strong person in the south as a running mate.
“Series of meetings are already going on and I can tell you that the PDP will get it right this time.
“It is possible that the governors may not openly zone the ticket to the north, but hide under the cover that all eligible candidates from across the country should contest the primaries, but the game plan is to field a candidate from the north to weaken the APC.”
When contacted on the telephone, Maduabum said he could not say more than what had been stated in the press release.
On whether the issue of zoning would be discussed, he responded, “The meeting is not about zoning.”
The PDP governors are meeting barely 48 hours before another crucial meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, to be presided over by Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State.
Wednesday’s in-person meeting will feature the intervention programmes such as the regular updates from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability Programme team and another on coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security, among others.
Sources close to the secretariat of the NGF informed one of our correspondents that the governors would also discuss the security problem facing their states in particular and the country as a whole.
Newsflash Nigeria had reported that several governors, especially those from the North-East and North-West, have lamented the rampant killings and abductions by terrorists.
