A support group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement, has dismissed claims by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, that the party has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, calling such assertion “inaccurate and unconstitutional.”
Reacting to Professor Gana’s recent statement during a national television appearance—where he claimed that all PDP chairmen from the North had unanimously agreed to cede the party’s presidential ticket to the South—the group’s national coordinator, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, insisted that no constitutionally recognized organ of the party had reached such a resolution.
“There was no such decision taken, and even if informal discussions occurred, they carry no constitutional or party authority and could amount to a breach of the law if enforced,” Hamzat said in a statement.
He further disclosed that there was no record of any consultation between the northern PDP chairmen and Professor Gana, adding that the position of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement is rooted in the belief that only inclusivity and constitutionality can unite the party and the nation.
Hamzat emphasized that the group, which comprises members across party lines including the PDP, APC, and Labour Party, is made up of vibrant young Nigerians who are pushing for a progressive Nigeria devoid of sectional interests.
He urged the PDP leadership to resist distractions from unverifiable claims and instead focus on unity, fairness, and legality as the party prepares for its national convention in Oyo State later this year.
According to him, the current National Working Committee (NWC), led by Ambassador Umar Damagun, has made commendable efforts toward party cohesion and inclusiveness.
“The propagation of sectional narratives, regardless of intention, could reverse the gains made by the NWC and weaken the party’s chances ahead of 2027,” Hamzat warned.
He cited several historical examples to bolster his argument, including the 1999 PDP presidential primaries in Jos, where prominent northern aspirants such as the late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi contested alongside southern politicians like Chief Alex Ekwueme and eventual winner, General Olusegun Obasanjo.
He also pointed to the 2003 PDP primaries, where Rimi and Chief Barnabas Gemade—both from the North—again contested for the ticket, as well as the 2022 APC primaries where both northern and southern candidates competed openly.
Hamzat grounded his constitutional position on Section 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits discrimination based on ethnicity, origin, or political affiliation.
“Any arrangement, such as zoning, that effectively bars qualified Nigerians from contesting the presidency due to their region of origin, contradicts the spirit and letter of the Constitution,” he said. “Zoning may serve as a gentleman’s agreement, but it cannot override the constitutional rights of Nigerians.”
He appealed to party stakeholders, including Professor Gana, to support the party’s unifying efforts and allow the convention to become a platform for ideas and competence rather than division.
Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a former presidential aspirant, has also maintained that merit, not geography, should drive leadership selection in Nigeria.
“What Nigeria needs in 2027 is not a Southern or Northern president, but a Nigerian president—one chosen for vision, competence, and patriotism, not sectional bargaining,” Olawepo-Hashim had earlier stated.
As the PDP prepares for its national convention, voices like Hamzat’s are gaining traction within the party, calling for a renewed commitment to constitutionalism, equity, and national unity in the march toward 2027.
Leave a Reply