PDP Forms 44-Member Zoning Committee, Warns Wike on Total Loyalty

PDP Sets Up 44‑Member Zoning Committee Ahead of November Convention

In a critical step toward building public trust and strengthening its internal structure, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated a 44-member Zoning Committee on August 14, 2025. The unveiling took place in Abuja, ahead of the National Elective Convention scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State—a pivotal event expected to chart the course for the party’s leadership and candidate selection for the 2027 elections.

Key Players and Mandate

At the inauguration, Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum emphasized the panel’s vital role in laying the political foundation for the next four years. Chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, with Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal as Vice Chairman and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang serving as Secretary, the committee is tasked with two major responsibilities:

Fairly distributing National Working Committee (NWC) positions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Recommending the most suitable region for the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket.

Historic Influence of Zoning on PDP Fortunes

Zoning arrangements have historically been decisive for the PDP’s unity and public appeal. In 2015, internal resistance to Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election due to zoning disputes contributed to the party’s loss of power. Again in 2023, disagreements surfaced when some southern PDP leaders felt marginalized after the ticket opened to all aspirants despite expectations it should return to the South.

Appeal for Fairness and Unity

Damagum urged committee members to uphold fairness, equity, and strategic reasoning. He described zoning as the “engine room” of the party’s leadership architecture and called on members to prioritize loyalty and capacity.

Similarly, PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman Bala Mohammed reaffirmed the governors’ backing, emphasizing that the party must emerge as the credible alternative to the APC’s challenges of hunger, disillusionment, and economic frustration.

Governor Diri echoed this spirit, promising a consultative and inclusive zoning framework to restore public trust and strengthen the party’s unity ahead of the 2027 elections.

What’s Next?

The committee is set to present its recommendations to the National Executive Committee (NEC) by August 25, setting the stage for the November convention and shaping the leadership slate of the PDP’s National Working Committee.

Analysis & Insights

PDP national convention 2025 Ibadan

The inauguration of the PDP’s zoning committee is not just procedural—it reflects deep strategic undercurrents:

Choosing Ibadan over Kano for the National Convention signals a tilt toward southern political interests, seen as favoring figures like Governor Makinde, while potentially sidelining Nyesom Wike’s influence.
With 2027 ahead, the zoning decision could determine which geopolitical zone garners the presidential ticket, a decision that will directly impact internal cohesion and electoral strategy.
The emergence of this zoning panel follows months of internal divisions and defections, underlining the PDP’s attempt to reconcile factional interests and reassert unity.