2023 Election: PDP south west caucus moves for southern presidency

…….urges the leaders to deliver Osun and Ekiti for the party

From Ogundele Olanrewaju

Notwithstanding that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has obtained the presidential nomination form and he is a front-runner in the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the Southwest leaders of the party yesterday insisted that the next President must come from the South.

The leaders stated this after a closed-door meeting of the extended Zonal Caucus of the South West Zone , held at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Present at the meeting were Oyo State Governor, Engr, Seyi Makinde; Chief Bode George, Ayodele Fayose, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, PDP zonal financial secretary, Rahman Owokoniran; Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeeq Arapaja, Sen. Francis Fadahunsi, Prof. Olusola Eleka, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Prince Diran Odeyemi, Sikiru Ogundele and others.

Reading the communique , the National Vice Chairman (West) of the party, Soji Adagunodo, said the region was throwing its weight behind the Southern Governors’ stance on 2023 presidency.

It would be recalled that governors from the South had said that the next president of the country must come from the zone.

In a seven-point communique , the leaders also said the party must win the Osun and Ekiti State governorship polls coming up this year.

The communique read: “We the PDP in the Southwest believe in the corporate existence and unity of Nigeria.

“The unity of the SouthWest is a non-negotiable issue, to this end, we demand that all dispute resolution mechanisms should be on the front burner.

“The SouthWest some is also in support of the Southern Governor’s forum that the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should be from the South.”

“The SouthWest zone also commended the Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde for his infrastructural development in the zone.

“The zone has agreed that we should do everything possible within our power to deliver Osun and Ekiti states to the party in their forthcoming off season governorship elections.

“The zone is desirous of fairness, justice and equity in the distribution of Federal positions and appointments and will support all efforts geared towards National cohesion through equitable distribution of Federal positions and appointments amongst the geopolitical zones of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The SouthWest zone further re-affirmed it’s position on restructuring of Nigeria.

On their parts, Governor Seyi Makinde and Senator Francis Fadahunsi called for unity among the stakeholders.