ABUJA/Nigeria: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the Southern region of Nigeria, following key resolutions reached at its 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday, August 25, 2025.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, NEC approved the report of its National Convention Zoning Committee, which recommended that all national offices currently held by the North should remain in the North, while those in the South should remain in the South. By implication, the presidency for 2027 has been ceded to the South, since the National Chairmanship remains with the North.
The meeting, which reviewed the state of the party ahead of its elective national convention scheduled for Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15–16, 2025, also ratified the appointment of Ambassador Iliya Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman of the party. Damagum, who had been serving in an acting capacity, will now lead the party until the Ibadan convention.
“NEC acknowledges with satisfaction the efforts and commitment of the PDP Governors’ Forum, the Board of Trustees, the National Working Committee, and other critical organs towards the success of the forthcoming convention,” the statement read.
On constitutional reforms, NEC received updates from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed it to circulate a draft amendment to organs and chapters of the party for further input.
The meeting also used the opportunity to condemn what it described as “state capture” by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of intimidation, inducement, and militarization of recent bye-elections in Kaduna, Taraba, and Zamfara States. NEC warned that the actions of the APC posed a grave danger to Nigeria’s democracy and risked turning the country into a one-party state.
“NEC particularly expressed dismay at the deployment of excessive security agencies in Kaura Namoda South State Constituency of Zamfara State, where a run-off election in only five polling units was heavily militarized,” the communiqué added.
Reaffirming its readiness to defend democracy, PDP assured Nigerians that it remains committed to safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of citizens while intensifying efforts to reclaim power in 2027.
The next NEC meeting has been scheduled for October 15, 2025.
The communiqué was signed by Hon. Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the party.
