The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said that it would not be pressured into zoning its presidential ticket to the South-east zone.
The party said it is too early to zone its ticket to any of the six geopolitical zones as the party needs to engage in consultations with relevant stakeholders to arrive at such a decision.
Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, spokesperson of the PDP in an interview with Arise News Programme, The Morning Show, said all the organs of the party will be involved when it comes to the stage of discussion on which zone gets the party’s presidential ticket.
He spoke on the heels of the recent reports by Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi to decamp to the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) from the PDP, unless PDP zones its presidential ticket to the South-east region.
The Ebonyi State governor is reported to be nurturing a new political ambition after the expiration of his second-term in 2023, has expressed interest to decamp to the APC unless the PDP zones its ticket to the South-east.
The Ebonyi state chapter of the PDP and the House of Assembly had reportedly given the PDP a deadline to zone its ticket to the South-east or risk defection. The deadline has since expired.
Ologbondiyan while answering questions on the development said that Umahi’s planned defection is not concluded.
According to him, the use of the word “irrevocable” in the ongoing conversations around the matter should not arise. He said he was present during the party’s last meeting with the governor on the issue, adding that Umahi never said his decision was irreversible.
However, Ologbondiyan admitted that during the meeting, Umahi raised some germane concerns, which the party will discuss and resolve when it gets to that stage.
He said: “PDP is a structured party. We have our various organs and it’s not a party belonging to one man from the North and one from the South. Our decision processes have a course and whatever decisions that must be taken, all the organs must be involved. We don’t act on impulse.
“We have not reached the stage of zoning of offices. Some of the things we are reading are mere speculations. The word ‘irrevocable’ as being said to have been used by Governor Umahi to the PDP that the decision is irrevocable is strange to us.
“I do not believe all the issues that Umahi will leave the PDP. And I am surprised that the media will take it that Umahi will say that his decision to leave the PDP is irrevocable. Even discussions haven’t reached that stage.”
“The party believes that the issues raised by Governor Umahi are of genuine concerns and when the time comes and all the variables are considered, the party will take its decision. PDP is not a party that can be stampeded. A decision on the number one office in the country is not one that can be taken at a sitting. We have started discussions. As we speak, we have not reached that level.