‘It was anti-party’ — Wike chides PDP leadership for abandoning zoning

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, says the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) committed anti-party activity when it failed to zone the presidential ticket to the south. 

Kelvin Ebiri, Wike’s special assistant on media, said in a statement that the governor spoke on Wednesday when some senators-elect visited him at his residence in Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor LGA of the state.

In the build-up to the PDP primary in May 2022, some party stakeholders demanded that the presidential ticket be zoned to the south.

However, the party ditched zoning, throwing the contest for the presidential ticket open.

Wike said the decision of the PDP leadership to abandon zoning was in “clear violation of the party’s constitution” which led to the party’s defeat in the presidential election on February 5.

He said section 7(3)(c) of the PDP constitution demands that in the principles of equity, justice, and fairness the party “shall adhere” to the policy of rotation of elective and appointive offices.

“We are proud to have produced the three senators. Out of the 13 house of reps, they have announced 10, and we (PDP) have taken nine. We believe that when the election is done in the other ones, we will also emerge victorious because Rivers state has always been with PDP as regards the issues of our local elections,” he said.

“When our party abandoned the principle of equity, fairness, and justice — when our party abandoned the provisions of our constitution which is the highest anti-party anybody can do, they also have to pay for it.

“If you see that your constitution says this is what you should do, and you abandoned it, you have committed anti-party more than any other thing. Our own is the unity of Nigeria, and that is what we stand for. Unity of Nigeria is far above party interest.”