2011 Polls: Uncertainty Surrounds PDP Zoning Accord

By Our Reporter

Certainty factors including contentment and discontentment trail the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accord to one certain position to certain areas in the 2011 elections which is fast approaching.

Already, there are strong indications that the North may opt   for a written agreement when the party revisits zoning the controversial power formula that has mounted a hurdle against the president’s perceived plan to run next year.

It is understood that source principal leaders of the North within and outside the PDP had been weighing some options on how to address the challenge being posed by the plot to alter zone. These include insisting on zoning and using its majority to move against president Goodluck Jonathan at the PDP National Convention, likelihood  of protest vote against the candidacy of Jonathan in 2011and acceptance of the review of zoning through a written agreement to prove the way for the president’s re-election.

Though no consensus on the matter had been reached since in the past few weeks, several nocturnal meetings had taken place Abuja, Kaduna and Kano without consensus.

Quoting a source who spoke in confidence, “the heat is on in the North, with the explosion of rallies in favour of the retention of zoning and in fact, the signals from Borno, Kano and Kaduna are really frightening. So, as far as zoning is concerned, the debate may be nagging but the \north has reached a consensus to ask for a written agreement and we will go to the negotiating table with this,” the source continued.

“Proponents of zoning insist that President Jonathan’s administration should spend the remainder of the late President Yar’Adua’s first term, organize an election and quite power in May, next year.

Power should remain in the North, they say. But opponents of the PDP arrangement maintain that merit should be the key consideration and that there is nothing in the Constitution that bars Jonathan from running. Zoning in their view is obselet; it should be dumped.

The national Cordinator of Pro-Jonathan group-Bid Deal Goodluck (BDG)- Dr. Perry Okpara told  reporters in Abuja that all  is set for the declaration

Okpara, who is also the national chairman of the National Unity Party (NUP), said Dr Jonathan would announce his intention in a couple of weeks.

He also canvassed the dropping of zoning, saying that it promotes mediocrity.

Okpara, who said that the BDG would organize a one day prayer for Jonathan and the nation this week in Abuja, added, “I am really surprise that it is taking this direction. We are disappointed that for the first time in the political history of Nigeria, Peoples Democratic Party has dragged us into something we are not very comfortable with, which is the issue of zoning.

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