Atiku Proposed 2023 Presidential Ticket Be Zoned to South-East, Wike Opposed It — Eze

Atiku Proposed 2023 Presidential Ticket Be Zoned to South-East, Wike Opposed It — Eze

In a surprising revelation, All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has shed light on the internal debates within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over the zoning of its 2023 presidential ticket.

Contrary to popular claims, Eze asserted that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar actually proposed that the ticket be zoned to Nigeria’s South-East, a move which was met with opposition by influential party members, including former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

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Eze dismissed allegations that Atiku had resisted the zoning of the ticket to the South, describing such rumors as misguided and politically motivated. Instead, Eze claimed that Atiku had strongly advocated for the South-East, an underrepresented region in Nigeria’s presidential history, to have the opportunity to produce the party’s candidate for 2023.

“It is sad and unfortunate that some people who are saying that Wike was right on PDP zoning have refused to know the truth because they are heavily benefiting from the former Rivers State Governor’s financial inducements,” Eze remarked, suggesting that there were financial incentives influencing some party members’ stances.

Eze further emphasized, “Atiku Abubakar didn’t kick against zoning the PDP Presidential ticket to the South. What the former Vice President proposed at the PDP meeting was that if the party’s presidency should be zoned to the South, it must be to the South-East.”

Eze’s statement appears to clarify the intentions of the PDP’s zoning discussions, adding a new layer to the complex political dynamics within the party.

His assertion that certain individuals are benefitting financially from Wike’s opposition to Atiku’s proposal underscores the high-stakes nature of PDP’s nomination process.