2023: List of Key States PDP May Lose If It Fields Northern Presidential Candidate

Ahead of 2023, there are speculations that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown its 2023 presidential ticket open to all zones.

However, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state who is the chairman of the zoning committee of the PDP dismissed the claim made by the sources.

He said the zoning committee has taken a decision on the matter but it has not been sealed yet by its National Executive Committee (NEC).

Amid the development, ThisDay newspaper forecasts what may happen to the PDP in 2023 if it eventually throws the ticket open and a presidential aspirant from the north wins the primary.

According to the newspaper, the lead opposition party may lose some key states in the south if it fields a northern candidate. This is against the backdrop of the south's valid agitation to produce President Buhari's successor in 2023.

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The report listed the states the PDP may lose in the 2023 governorship elections if it ignores the south's agitation and went ahead to president a northern presidential candidate.

Here are they:

1. Oyo
2. Delta
3. Rivers
4. Abia
5. Enugu
6. Akwa Ibom
7. Benue
8. Cross River (though currently controlled by the APC, however, a strong PDP state)

The report also stated that presenting a northern presidential candidate does not guarantee the PDP would make any major impact in key northern states to compensate for the expected loss in the south.

2023: Ohanaeze, PANDEF knock PDP for allegedly zoning presidency to north

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Igbo socio-cultural group, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum and the Middle Belt Forum condemned PDP's alleged zoning of its presidential ticket to the north.

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The groups said the development would affect the chances of the PDP in the 2023 polls. PANDEF, in its reaction, expressed dismay at the alleged decision of the zoning committee of the PDP.

The forum in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Ken Robinson, said the decision arrived at by the Governor Samuel Ortom-led committee would have consequences. Robinson alleged that the committee was playing out a script, saying its decision was, however, not surprising, insisting that for fairness, equity and justice, the next president in 2023 should come from the south-south.

Source: Legit.ng