The recent decision by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee (NEC) to zone the presidency to the South and retain the National Chairman in the North has been hailed as a vindication of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the G-5’s stance in 2022.

According to Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to Minister Wike on Public Communications and Social Media, “The PDP’s decision to zone the presidency to the South, while retaining the National Chairman in the North, is a clear vindication of our position in 2022.”

Olayinka noted that Wike and the G-5 had insisted that the presidential candidate and National Chairman should not come from the same zone, but their advice was ignored, leading to electoral misfortune in 2023.

“The NEC’s decision is a belated recognition of the wisdom in our counsel,” Olayinka said. “However, it remains to be seen whether this decision comes too late for the party to reap the benefits of zoning the presidency to the South.”

The PDP’s zoning decision implies that the South would conclude its eight-year tenure before the presidency returns to the North in 2031.