Why PDP should not zone 2027 presidential ticket to  North – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not to repeat what he described as the strategic missteps of the 2023 general elections.

Speaking during a media chat on Monday, Wike stated that the party would be making a grave error by allocating its 2027 presidential ticket to the North.

“Why not, as a party, come out openly and say our presidential candidate will come out from the south?” he asked.

“You don’t want to do that. You want to play the same game you played in 2023. It will backfire.

“This smartness won’t help you. Come out now and let everybody know where you are heading. You can’t send the presidency to the north. I told them. Selfishness can kill a system.”

Wike argued that if the current president contests and wins a second term in 2027, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would likely zone its 2031 ticket to the North — a development that could trap the PDP in a pattern of reactive politics.

“For example, if Mr president runs and wins in 2027, by 2031 APC will send their presidential ticket to the north.

“PDP will do what then? You will come back then and say since APC is sending it to the north, let’s give the north our presidential ticket. What kind of smartness is that?”

Though he did not mention names, his comments appeared to be a veiled reference to the PDP’s 2023 flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar.

In a previous statement from May 2024, Atiku had reaffirmed his intention to continue contesting for the presidency for as long as he remains alive and in good health. He likened his persistence to that of Abraham Lincoln, who made several attempts before eventually becoming president of the United States.