Barely six weeks after the governor of Abia state, David Umahi, defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over the failure of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone 2023 presidency to the southeast, Uche Secondus has reacted on zoning arrangement.
NEWSGIST reports that Secondus, who is the national chairman of the PDP, said the party would not be drawn to the politics of zoning its 2023 presidential ticket until the committee set up to review the performance in the 2019 general elections submits its report.
The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus said that former president Goodluck Jonathan has the right to contest in 2023.
NEWSGIST gathered that he stated this on Thursday, December 10, at a media parley with journalists in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
He added that zoning of presidential ticket takes the backstage considering the state of insecurity in the country.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan is free to vie for PDP’s ticket
Speaking on whether the former president, Goodluck Jonathan would be brought to run on the platform of the party, Secondus said once the committee submits its report, those interested in the presidency including the ex-president would be at liberty to throw their hats in the ring.
Secondus said:
“I stand by my position that the Governor Bala-led committee is still working, they are coming out with a report on why we lost and by the time they finish, we will take decisions and the decision is not for the National Working Committee but for the entirety of our party.
“I believe that whoever is interested in the 2023 election, including the former president, the chances are there because the PDP is a party of all. Everybody will have that opportunity but in clear terms, we have not taken any decision to give anybody the ticket for now.”
He, however, accused the APC of allegedly trying to poach members of other political parties to join its fold, saying the ruling party has been running an unsuccessful race.
Secondus added:
“I believe that what should bother them most should be governance, security, the economy, which have broken down.”
Meanwhile, NEWSGIST had previously reported that a former commissioner in Ebonyi state and an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Chief Abia Onyike, defected to the PDP.
It was reported that Onyike announced his decision in a statement on Thursday, December 3, in Abakaliki, the state capital.
He said he dumped the ruling party in line with unfolding political events in Ebonyi following the defection of Governor Dave Umahi.
