Olawepo-Hashim also said PDP’s pronouncement amounts to asking northerners to find another party.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Human rights activist, businessman and former presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has described the party’s decision to zone its presidential ticket to the South as a subtle campaign for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.
He made this known on Monday evening while featuring as a guest on Channels TV programme, ‘Politics Today’.
His comment follows PDP’s pronouncememt on Monday that its presidential ticket for the 2027 general election would be zoned to the southern region of the country.
Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting held in Abuja, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced that the decision followed the presentation of a report by the Zoning Committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.
Reacting to the development, Olawepo-Hashim said the decision is unprecedented in the party’s history, stressing that it amounts to asking northerners to find another party.
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He added that PDP members who are advocating the zoning formula are also committed to President Bola Tinubu’s reelection,
Olawepo-Hashim said: “What has happened today is unprecedented. PDP has never zoned its presidential ticket before. It means if you are a northerner you find another party.
“Let me tell you, this is my own position. The zoning of the presidency to the south is a default campaign for return of President Asiwaju. This is because those who are mounting this campaign of zoning to the south are the same people who are saying, we are in PDP, but we work for President Asiwaju.
“Look at all of them, almost all of them, the same people say, oh, we are in PDP, but we are committed to President Asiwaju’s reelection, and are saying zone it.
“So it’s a default campaign, for the PDP not to have a viable candidate by those people.”
