A former member of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Yusuf, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to relinquish his interest in contesting the presidential ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2027. Yusuf believes that stepping aside would allow the party to uphold its original zoning arrangement and restore unity within its ranks.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Thursday, Yusuf stated that the persistent leadership tussles and internal crises in the PDP are largely due to personal ambitions outweighing collective party interests. According to him, one of the ways to resolve the issues plaguing the party is to return to the founding principles of zoning political positions across different regions.
PDP zoning arrangement in 2027 is at the heart of Yusuf’s proposal, as he argued that the South—particularly the South-South and South-East regions—has been the backbone of the party and deserves a fair shot at the presidency.
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“If I have my way, I will advise former Vice President Atiku—leave the PDP ticket, let it go to the South,” Yusuf said. “Even if we don’t win the presidential election, we would have been seen as returning to our original modus operandi where party positions are zoned.”
He stressed that repeatedly allowing one region to dominate the party’s primaries discourages other loyal members, especially from the South, and may lead to apathy and further defection from the party.
The PDP has been battling with internal instability since the 2023 general elections. Several top members, including governors and National Assembly lawmakers, have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). On Wednesday, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Monday Onyeme, and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa all defected to the APC alongside other prominent party figures.
Yusuf, who previously represented the Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, blamed the crisis on what he termed “self-inflicted wounds.” He accused some PDP governors of deliberately fueling the crisis to create excuses for switching political allegiance.
“The PDP crisis is not external. It’s internal sabotage by those who want to justify their defection,” he said.
As 2027 approaches, the debate over the PDP zoning arrangement in 2027 is likely to intensify, with more party stakeholders weighing in on whether the next presidential ticket should shift to the South in a bid to unify the opposition party.
By advocating for a return to equitable zoning, Yusuf believes the PDP can rebuild its foundation and reignite hope among its southern supporters—an essential step if the party hopes to remain relevant on the national stage.
