Makarfi reveals PDP's plan for 2019, where the presidential candidate will come from
Posted by :Adeola Opeyemi
PDP chieftain, Ahmed Makarfi, said the next presidential candidate would be from the North
- Makarfi also revealed that the Chairman of the party will emerged from the South
- Makarfi also said Nnamdi Kanu's action was what made northern youths to speak up
The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmed Makarfi, has said the
party will likely feed a presidential candidate from the Northern part of Nigeria for the 2019 election.
Makarfi said the party has a zoning structure and the northern part of Nigeria is next to rule Nigeria in 2019 while the party chairman will emerged from the South.
While speaking to the Punch newspaper, Makarfi said: "The party has not changed its zoning structure. When we attend our elective convention in four months’ time, the party’s chairman will emerge from the southern part of the country.
"When the time to elect our presidential candidate comes, someone from the North will emerge. This has not been upturned. The story that the zoning structure would be jettisoned is not true. That is the position of the party.
"It does not stop any individual from other parts of the country, like Fayose, from indicating his interest. It is open but the decision of the party is zoning and I believe the contestants will respect that position.
"I will be surprised if people will say that they are not aware of this zoning. Everybody is aware of zoning. That is why you will not see anybody from the North seeking to be the chairman of the party.
"That is the decision of the convention and the Supreme Court has ruled that the decision of the convention is supreme. So, only a convention can reverse the zoning issue; that was not discussed at the last convention and I don’t see it being changed. There is no going back on zoning."
When asked what he thinks about the quit notice issued to the Igbos in the north by Arewa youths and Ohanaeze Ndigbo's allegation that the northern elders aren't doing much to calm their youths, Makarfi said the blame does not belong to one side.
He said: "Remember that the same accusation has been made against Ohanaeze in allowing Nnamdi Kanu to go unchecked for so long. It was Kanu’s actions that made the northern youths to speak up. It should not be a blame game. We need to work together to stop these unwholesome agitations all across the country wherever they may be happening."
He also said there are plans by PDP to woo party chieftains back to the party ahead of 2019 election.
Meanwhile, the south-west executive committee of the Peoples Democratic Party has dragged party leaders, Ahmed Makarfi, Ben Obi, Eddy Olafeso, Bunmi Jenyo, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Inspector of Police to court.
The excos filed a suit asking the Abuja Federal High Court to nullify the 75th national executive committee (NEC) meeting of the party.
The zonal committee also asked the court to nullify the adoption of the special non-elective national convention of the party which held last Saturday in Abuja.