Prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, have called for the party to designate its presidential ticket to the southern region in preparation for the 2027 elections. This request came during a meeting in Abuja on Monday night, attended by notable figures including former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Samuel Ortom of Benue.
In a statement delivered by Wike, the group reaffirmed Samuel Anyanwu as the legitimate national secretary of the PDP. “We unequivocally recognise Senator Anyanwu as the duly elected national secretary of our esteemed party,” the statement declared.
The stakeholders insisted that, in the interest of fairness and adherence to the party’s constitution, a clear announcement must be made to zone the presidential candidacy to the south for the upcoming election. They claimed that only Anyanwu has the authority to issue notices for national conventions and other significant gatherings, declaring all other communications as invalid.
Sources indicate that the meeting was convened by Wike to derail the forthcoming national convention set for August 28, aimed at electing members of the National Working Committee (NWC). Despite remaining within the PDP, Wike is known to be an ally of President Bola Tinubu from the All Progressives Congress (APC), and appears to be leveraging his influence to bolster Tinubu’s 2027 re-election prospects.