The decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to throw open its 2023 presidential ticket instead of zoning it to the South-East has been greeted with reaction by the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Niger Delta sociopolitical group, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF).
The PDP zoning committee led by Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, failed to zone the party’s presidential ticket, preferring to throw it open to every aspirants.
But in condemning the decision of the party, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, George Obiozor, said he could not understand the rationale behind the decision of the “PDP to jettison zoning when it was the turn of the South, and particularly the South-East.”
In the statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, Ohanaeze said it condemned “in its entirety the political suicide that has been committed by the PDP by its position on zoning.”
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide reiterates the position of the Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum led by Chief E K Clark that any party that does not zone it presidential ticket to the south should not expect the support of the Middle Belt and the entire South.
“It is therefore curious that the PDP should commit political hara-kiri at a time it is struggling for a fresh air.
“It is unfortunate that the PDP glomourises inordinate ambitions; any political ambition that undermines nation building should be checkmated.
“Let it be known that it runs contrary to the indomitable Igbo spirit to swallow any form of indignity, disdain or condescension from anybody or group.
“It is therefore highly inconceivable that the Igbo will validate a party or group that runs roughshod over its sensibilities.
“History was never kind to betrayers and the treacherous. The machinations and conspiracies to deny the Igbo their due place in Nigeria is an ingratitude that daily cries to God.
“We urge all the Igbo presidential aspirants to remain focused and undaunted because of the PDP shenanigans; history will always vindicate the just,” it stated.
In their reaction via a statement signed by PANDEF’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, on Wednesday, the group claimed that the decision by the party’s Zoning Committee led by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State which arrived at the decision, was ill-advised and acted on a planned script.
“It is an awful decision and there will be consequences. But we are not utterly surprised at the development,” the statement said.
“The outcome was predictable; there were evident-pointers that this would be the conclusion.
“Governor Ortom’s Committee has a script and they have played it out with due deference to some patriots that were in the Committee.
“The level of desperation and political debauchery being demonstrated by some political stakeholders is deplorable and quite disappointing.
“Regrettably, we are in a society where it seems anything goes. We will await the conduct of the presidential primaries by the parties to assess the choices that would be presented to us.”
