Rejecting-the-Proposed-Clandestine-Zoning-Plot:-A-Defense-of-North-Central’s-Strategic-Interests-in-the-PDP

Rejecting the Proposed Clandestine Zoning Plot: A Defense of North Central’s Strategic Interests in the PDP.

Published by Wisdom Tide 

August 28th, 2025

 Concerned PDP Critical Stakeholders of the North Central Geopolitical Zone

August 28th, 2025

Introduction

The proposed clandestine moves to redesign the zoning arrangement within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have generated outrage, particularly among the Critical stakeholders from the North Central geopolitical zone. This maneuver is not just a matter of internal party politics—it is an outright insult to the sensibilities of the zone, a betrayal of the PDP’s foundational principle of equity, and a reckless gamble that could destabilize the party ahead of future elections.

The North Central, a region that has historically been loyal to the PDP, is now being pushed to the periphery by forces working to weaken the party from within. This act of marginalization must be strongly rejected and be condemned by all well meaning PDP faithfuls in all the six geopolitical zones.

The PDP and the Tradition of Zoning

From its inception in 1998, the PDP institutionalized zoning and power rotation as a mechanism to manage Nigeria’s complex diversity. This principle allowed each of the six geopolitical zones to have a sense of belonging, thereby consolidating the PDP’s dominance in the early years of the Fourth Republic.

Between 1999 and 2007, when Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from the South West was president, the National Chairmanship was zoned to the North Central and occupied by personalities such as Chief Solomon Lar and Chief Audu Ogbeh, two of the region’s most respected political leaders, while the North East produced the Vice-President and the North West produced the speaker of the Federal House of Representatives.

This arrangement underscored the critical balancing role of the North Central.

Similarly, the zone produced leaders such as Senator Barnabas Gemade and Senator Ahmadu Ali, who both served as PDP National Chairmen at different times. These leaders gave direction to the party, reinforced internal cohesion, and ensured that no region felt alienated. During the reigns of these illustrious sons of North Central Geopolitical Zone, PDP was at its best in terms of the number of states being controlled in governorship elections. PDP during their reigns had up to 28 out of the 36 state governors.

The Balancing Role of North Central Leaders

The North Central has consistently provided stabilizing figures in the PDP and Nigerian politics at large.

David Mark, a two-term Senate President from Benue State, played a key role in strengthening legislative-executive relations and ensuring stability within the PDP-controlled National Assembly. Under his leadership, the Senate became a unifying force, shielding the party from internal implosions.

Iyorchia Ayu, also from Benue, emerged as PDP National Chairman in 2021 before internal crises forced his exit. His appointment was part of the delicate balance struck at the 2021 National Convention, which gave the North Central both the National Chairmanship and the National Legal Adviser.

This delicate balance of power is being threatened to be tilted to the disadvantage of the North Central Zone by some forces that are powered by some inordinate ambitions and political misadventures.

Audu Ogbeh, a veteran politician from Benue, led the 

These examples are not mere history—they highlight the indispensability of the North Central in the PDP’s survival and growth. To now sideline the zone by tactically removing what belongs to it to another zone is not only provocative but a distortion of the PDP’s own history of inclusivity. This will be vehemently resisted.

When Senator Iyorchia Ayu left the seat of the National Chairman, the PDP Constitution provides for his immediate replacement from the North Central Geopolitical Zone. 

However, that rightful decision was not allowed to be taken by the irresponsible use of court orders and court injunctions to frustrate the North Central Zone in occupying its rightful position in PDP such that the position of the PDP National Chairman that was meant for the North Central since December 2021 had now been enjoyed in the past three years by the North East Geopolitical Zone todate with a confirmation as a substantive National Chairman in the last PDP NEC meeting of 25th August 2025. 

There was an agreement amongst the PDP Governors that in view of the legal trap that made it impossible for the North Central Geopolitical Zone to complete the remnants of tenor of Senator Iyorchia Ayu as per the PDP Constitution, the North Central Zone will be given the sole right to produce the Substantive PDP National Chairman at the 2025 Elective National Convention. 

This agreement that was anchored on equity, justice and fairness must now be honored in favor of the North Central Geopolitical Zone!

It must also be recognized that from the advent democracy in Nigeria from 1999 to date, a period of 26 years, the empirical evidence is that the North Central Geopolitical Zone has never produced the President nor the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in both the PDP and in the APC, the two political parties that have ruled Nigeria from 1999 to date.

Therefore, it seems politically clear that the frequency of National Chairmanship in North Central Zone is for a Political Balancing Arrangement to compensate the North Central Zone for its political reality in not producing the President or the Vice-President. 

It is equally noted that the ruling party,APC, being aware of this political reality has decided of recent to return its National Chairmanship back to the North Central Geopolitical Zone.

Even the emerging third force in Nigerian Politics, the ADC has its National Chairmanship located in the North Central Geopolitical zone. 

Therefore, the PDP’s National Chairmanship Portfolio under the current circumstances must be located in North Central Geopolitical zone!

The North West zone that is currently bidding to take over the PDP National Chairmanship from the North Central Zone is the current Secretary of the PDP BoT, a regional portfolio where the North and the South share the BoT Chairmanship and the BoT Secretaryship by alternation.

It is therefore very painful and insulting for any other zone in the North, to contend the position of the PDP National Chairman with North Central Zone at the 2025 November Convention, more especially as it was duly zoned to it in 2021 National Convention, but hijacked later by another zone, and every one now expects  a correction of such political absurdity in the Elective National Convention of November 2025. 

This is the crux of the whole argument!

Lessons from Historical Precedents

The PDP has repeatedly suffered whenever the zoning principle was manipulated.

In 2010, after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, controversy over whether Goodluck Jonathan should contest the 2011 elections fractured the party. Northern leaders felt betrayed, leading to mass defections and bitter divisions.

By 2015, the party’s inability to resolve these internal grievances contributed to its historic loss of power to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Again, in 2023, the PDP’s failure to balance interests among zones—particularly the alienation of southern stakeholders over the presidential ticket—deepened disunity and weakened its electoral performance.

These precedents serve as warnings: whenever the PDP disregards equity and proper zoning, it pays a heavy price. To repeat the same mistake with the North Central will only further damage the party.

The Present Injustice Against North Central

The ongoing attempt to remove from the North Central zone its rightful positions of PDP National Chairman and PDP National Legal Adviser, is a direct assault on its dignity and political relevance. It is a betrayal of the arrangement reached at the 2021 Elective National Convention, which was designed to last until 2029.

The North Central cannot and will not accept being humiliated any longer. This is not only unjust but also politically short-sighted, as the zone remains a swing region whose votes have historically determined national outcomes.

Political Power is Earned, Not Gifted

The Leadership of North Central geopolitical zone must now rise to its political responsibility. Political power is never given on a platter of gold; it is earned through struggle, resilience, and strategic assertion. The manipulators of this zoning arrangement must be called to order, and the zone must insist on reclaiming its rightful place.

If those behind this plot imagine that the North Central will accept marginalization silently, they are gravely mistaken. The days of impunity are over. Every action will henceforth be met with proportionate reaction.

Retaining the 2021 Balance of Power

To prevent fresh crises and preserve stability, the balance of power established at the 2021 Elective National Convention must be retained until 2029. This arrangement gave the North Central both the National Chairmanship and the National Legal Adviser. Anything short of this is unacceptable.

Tampering with this balance risks igniting internal conflict that could render the PDP incapable of mounting a serious challenge in future elections. The party must not walk down this dangerous path again.

Backed by Justice, Equity, and Political Expediency

The North Central’s demand is anchored not on selfishness but on common sense, justice, equity, and political expediency. The PDP cannot hope to reclaim power nationally while sidelining a critical region that has historically delivered both leadership and votes.

The zone has been the backbone of the PDP in difficult times. To now humiliate it with weaker portfolios is not only unjust but strategically foolish. The party must remember that the North Central has options, and political exclusion often leads to political realignment.

Conclusion: 

A Word for the Wise

The clandestine zoning arrangement currently being promoted is an act of sabotage against the PDP. It undermines fairness, insults the North Central Sensibilities and threatens to ignite avoidable crises.

The North Central stands firm: it must reclaim the National Chairmanship and the National Legal Adviser positions as originally agreed. Anything less will be rejected outright.

This stance is backed by historical precedent, political justice, and sheer common sense. A party that ignores equity courts disaster. A word, indeed, is enough for the wise.