PDP Crisis: Wike insists on Zoning, Anyanwu as panacea for peace 

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and his loyalists in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rose from a meeting in Abuja on Monday, with a call on the party’s leadership to zone the 2027 Presidential slot to the south. 

The communique after the meeting also insisted that apart from zoning, Senator Samuel Anyanwu must be reinstated as National Secretary for peace to reign.

Among those present at the meeting were members of the G5 including, Former Enugu Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Former Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu; and former Benue Governor, Samuel Ortom.

Others were Former Senate Minority leader, Senator Philip Aduda; embattled National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; serving members and former members of the National Assembly and other loyalists of the FCT Minister in the party.

The meeting which was tagged

‘the PDP Eminent Stakeholders and Concerned Leaders’ resolved that to finally “arrest the inexorable drift towards extinction in our party, the party must, without further delay, respect the judgment of the Supreme Court. We, therefore, unequivocally reaffirm Senator Sam Anyanwu as the duly elected and substantive National Secretary of our great Party.

“In the spirit of fairness, inclusion, federal Character principles and respect for our party Constitution, the Party must make an unequivocal pronouncement Zoning its presidential Candidate to the South in the 2027 elections after the unbroken years of Northern President under President Muhammadu Buhari.

“In line with the provisions of our party constitution only the National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, can issue notices of meeting of the National Convention, National Executive Committee, National Caucus and the National Working Committee and to this end all notices not issued by him and actions founded on them, including correspondences to INEC are null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

“Furthermore, it is clear from the Constitution that only the National Convention, properly and duly constituted can remove Senator Sam Anyanwu, the National Secretary, arising from his status as a member of the National Executive Committee of the Party.

“We, therefore, demand that the Acting National Chairman and the National Secretary jointly issue a notice to INEC with an attached agenda for the National Executive Committee Meeting of the Party being the only pathway to abide by extant laws.

“We, the stakeholders reiterate our commitment to our great party and urge all members to uphold the rule of law, respect constitutional mandate, resist all machinations aimed at destabilizing the party and support the efforts of the National Reconciliation Committee headed by His Excellency, Senator Bukola Saraki.”