John Adams, Minna
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the zoning of all elective and party positions ahead of the 2023 general elections in Niger State.
The party made the announcement in Minna on Tuesday, saying that the governorship slot will now move from the Niger North senatorial zone to Niger South.
It pointed out that after Niger East Senatorial district produced former Governor Babangida Aliyu, who served for eight years between 2007 and 2015, and the futile efforts of Niger North Senatorial district to produce a governor in 2015 and 2019, it is now the turn of Niger South to have a shot at the governorship.
The governorship candidate of the party in the 2015 and 2019 governorship race, Alhaji Umar Mohammed Nasko, from Magama Local government area in Niger North senatorial zone, by the new arrangement is ruled out of the 2023 governorship contest.
Chairman of the State Caretaker Committee Alhaji Garba Umaru Ciza, who made the disclosure while briefing reporters at the party secretariat, said the deputy governorship candidate of the party for the 2023 election will be picked from the Niger East senatorial zone.
Alh Ciza said the state chairmanship of the party will be retained in the Niger East senatorial zone, where two contenders, previous state chairman Alhaji Mohammed Tanko Beji and a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Mukhtar Ahmed, have indicated their intention to contest the slot.
‘Under the party’s zoning arrangement in the state the governorship position goes to Zone A and the Deputy governorship position goes to Zone B, whereas the party chairmanship position would remain in Zone B for the next four years after which it moves to Zone C,’ he said.
‘This is to be strictly adhered to in the conduct of the committee’s activities towards the party’s next congress and the election of the executive officers in the state.’
Ciza said no date has been fixed for the state party congress which he said will be conducted by officials from the National Working Committee of the party.
He disclosed that the officials of the party at ward and local governments have all been returned unopposed.
The caretaker committee chair also announced the dissolution of all standing committees and electoral committees put in place by the former state executive, saying ‘they have all completed their assignments.’
He disclosed that the dissolution of the electoral committee set up by the outgoing state executive was because it was not established in compliance with the rules governing such exercise.
He promised to give the party a purposeful leadership, assuring also that the party will be transparent just, free and fair in the conduct of all its activities.
Ciza asked party members to remain steadfast and continue to mobilise new members ahead of the upcoming state and national elections.