By Demola Akinyemi, Ilorin.
The National Coordinator of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, has countered recent comments made by elder Statesman and former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, regarding the alleged zoning of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
Professor Gana, during a recent national television appearance, claimed that all PDP chairmen from the North had unanimously resolved to zone the party’s presidential ticket to the South.
But in his response, Hamzat, who leads the strategic support group mobilising for former presidential candidate and PDP chieftain, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, described the assertion as both inaccurate and constitutionally untenable.
“No such decision was reached by any constitutionally recognised organ of the PDP,” Hamzat said, stressing that “Even if informal discussions occurred, they do not carry the force of party or constitutional authority, and could amount to a breach of the law if enforced.
“Besides, we have on it on good Authority that no such consultation was held between the Northern Chairmen and the Professor “
Hamzat also said that Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement cuts across PDP, APC, Labour Party, active young and vibrant Nigerians who want to see a new Nigeria that works for all, not special interests.
He therefore urged the party leaders to prioritize unity, fairness, and legality as the PDP prepares for its national convention in Oyo State later this year.
According to him, the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Ambassador Umar Damagun has worked tirelessly to foster inclusion and cohesion within the party and should be encouraged, not distracted by unverifiable claims or divisive rhetoric.
“The propagation of sectional narratives, no matter how well intentioned, could undermine the NWC’s efforts to unite the party and may reverse the gains recorded so far,” Hamzat cautioned.
“Only national agenda, devoid of regional and religious sentiment could position PDP as the beneficiary of the new wave of national consciousness ahead of 2027”.he added
He also cited historical precedents to reinforce his position, noting that in the 1999 PDP primaries held in Jos, prominent Northern politicians such as Alhaji Abubakar Rimi contested freely alongside Southern contenders like Chief Alex Ekwueme and eventual winner, General Olusegun Obasanjo.
He added that similarly, in 2003, Rimi and Chief Barnabas Gemade again from the North contested for the party’s presidential ticket.
Hamzat further said that in more recent memory, the 2022 All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries featured aspirants from both North and South, such as Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Governor Yahaya Bello from the North, and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the South, who eventually emerged as the party’s candidate and went on to win the presidency.
To ground his argument in law, Hamzat cited Section 42(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which explicitly prohibits discrimination based on place of origin, ethnicity, or political affiliation.
“A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin… shall not, by reason only that he is such a person… be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law… to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities… are not made subject.”
Hamzat argued that any internal party arrangement, like zoning, which effectively bars qualified Nigerians from contesting for the presidency solely because of their region, would violate the spirit and letter of this constitutional provision.
“Zoning may serve as a gentleman’s agreement for balancing interests, but it must never become a legal or moral tool of exclusion. The Constitution remains supreme,” he stated.
He appealed to party stakeholders, including Professor Gana, to support the unifying and progressive efforts of the NWC as the PDP positions itself to reclaim national relevance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The PDP’s strength lies in its diversity and ability to present credible options to Nigerians. Let the upcoming convention be a platform for vision, not division,” Hamzat added.
Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a former presidential candidate, has consistently maintained that competence, not geography, should be the decisive factor in Nigeria’s leadership choices.
“What Nigeria needs in 2027 is not a Southern or Northern president, but a Nigerian president, one who emerges through vision, capacity, and patriotism, not regional manipulation,” Olawepo-Hashim had earlier stated.
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