FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has called on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone its presidential ticket to the South ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike made this known yesterday while reading a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of critical stakeholders under the aegis of “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP.”

According to the communiqué, the stakeholders insisted that the party must uphold the principles of equity, fairness, and federal character in deciding its next presidential flagbearer.

“In the spirit of fairness, inclusion, federal character principles, and respect for our party constitution, the party must make an unequivocal pronouncement zoning its presidential candidate to the South in the 2027 elections, after the unbroken years of Northern presidency under President Muhammadu Buhari,” the document stated.

The group also reaffirmed Senator Sam Anyanwu as the duly elected and substantive National Secretary of the party, citing a Supreme Court judgement.

They emphasised that only Senator Anyanwu is constitutionally empowered to issue notices for party meetings, including those of the National Convention, National Executive Committee (NEC), National Caucus, and National Working Committee (NWC).

The communiqué further declared any notice or correspondence issued by any other person as null, void, and of no effect.

The stakeholders maintained that urgent actions are needed to halt what they described as “the party’s inexorable drift towards extinction.”