Former Senate President Pius Anyim has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership not to abandon zoning the 2023 Presidential ticket.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that the Benue State Governor and Chairman of the PDP 37 man zoning committee, Samuel Ortom delivered his report on Tuesday.
Anyim, who made the statement shortly after submitting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the party secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday, urged the PDP leadership to defend Section 7 (3) (c) of the party’s constitution.
He said,
“If I appear before you today without touching on the raging issues of zoning in our party, my presentation will not be complete.
“As a true party man, I will abide by the decision of the party. However, I would want to put the following on record: Democracy thrives on three ‘certainties’: Certainty of tenure, Certainty of structure Certainty of process, Anyim added.
The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) hinted that at anytime any of these ‘certainties’ is no longer guaranteed, democracy will corrupt justice and enthrone inequity.
“Accordingly, my appeal is that zoning being a fundamental principle of our party should not be jettisoned, he added.
Anyim also noted that democracy, being a system of rules and order, depends on strong institutions for its sustenance and success, saying,
” when a system can no longer defend its rules, it will enthrone the reign of might as against the rule of law”.
In his brief remarks, the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu assured that the party’s presidential primary slated for 28th and 29th May will be free, fair, and credible.
He said,
” I want to assure you that the party primary will be free, fair and credible. The ordinary members of our party will decide who the PDP 2023 Presidential election will be”.
Ayu also expressed hope that the 17 presidential candidates vying for the PDP ticket would accept the primary results.