The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), is once again on the edge of a crisis, as zoning battles and renewed pressure on former President Goodluck Jonathan converge ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
From Lagos to Abuja, southern PDP leaders are pushing to retain the party’s presidential ticket in the South, with chairmanship staying in the North. Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Douye Diri (Bayelsa), along with party heavyweights like Bode George and Adolphus Wabara, insist that the South must produce the flagbearer.
However, the Lagos meeting that produced this resolution has already triggered backlash. A bloc of southern PDP chairmen, senators and former governors dismissed it as “illegal” and “exclusive”, warning that any communiqué from the gathering does not represent the collective will of the party.
The split deepens as pressure mounts on former President Jonathan to enter the 2027 race. Northern opposition figures and some southern allies see him as a unifying candidate who would serve only one term, handing the presidency back to the North by 2031.
Jonathan, however, has kept mum. While allies whisper that he is quietly weighing his chances on the PDP platform, critics warn his candidacy could trigger legal battles over his eligibility, given past controversies about presidents being sworn in more than twice.
Shehu Sani, Dele Farotimi and Deji Adeyanju are among those urging Jonathan to steer clear, insisting the PDP of today is weaker, divided and at risk of implosion. Party insiders also question his loyalty, noting he has been largely absent from party activities and funding since 2015.
Makinde, meanwhile, says the Lagos summit was a legitimate consultation ahead of Monday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, where zoning will be formally debated. He brushed-off dissenters, saying: “Democracy is inclusivity, reaching out. We are determined to build a united PDP Nigerians can trust again”.
With the PDP convention fixed for November in Ibadan, the party faces a two-front battle: resolving its internal zoning wars and deciding whether to embrace Jonathan’s possible comeback bid – or risk another round of internal collapse.
