PDP Northern stakeholders insist on producing the party ’s flag bearer for the 2019 presidency.

Leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) in the North yesterday rose from a meeting in Abuja , insisting that the region must produce the party ’s flag bearer for the 2019 general elections .
The politicians dismissed as immaterial the recent declaration by Ekiti State governor , Ayo Fayose for the nation ’s number one seat at the upcoming polls .
Former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana , who convened the meeting , asked the party to elect the best candidates in accordance with its zoning formula.
His words: “I want to appeal to you to give to the party the very best in the positions that have been zoned to us . Let us therefore give to the party , men and women of impeccable integrity .
“ Whatever the Fayoses of this world may be doing, the party has resolved that the presidential candidate will come from one of the three zones in the North . ”
The party ’s caretaker national chairman , Senator Ahmed Makarfi , lauded the delegates for the meeting , noting that their sacrifice was a pointer to their unflinching loyalty to the PDP project.
Makarfi reiterated the commitment of the party to honour its zoning agreement , stressing that those bent on indicating interest in elective positions should not be barred from doing so provided that the zoning formula was respected .
“The Port Harcourt convention remains valid and one of the decisions taken at that event was zoning . Micro - zoning does not have binding effect ,” he stated .
Chairman , Board of Trustees of the party, Senator Walid Jubrin , charged members on respect for zoning arrangements. Former Acting National Chairman , Dr. Bello Haliru, called for sanctions, noting that zoning and rotation of offices had always been given a pride of place in the affairs of the party .To former Senate President , Dr. Iyorchia Ayu , PDP must put an end to impunity and dictatorship as the party steps up preparations for the convention.
Present at the meeting were former governors , Ibrahim Idris , Idris Wada ( Kogi ) , Ramalan Yero ( Kaduna) , Babangida Aliyu ( Niger) , Ibrahim Shekarau ( Kano ) , Ibrahim Shema ( Katsina ) and erstwhile Ministers , Abba Moro ( Internal Affairs ) , Adamu Maina Waziri ( Police Affairs ) , Kabiru Turaki ( Special Duties ) and Zainab Maina ( Women Affairs ) .
Others were Deputy Senate President Ibrahim Mantu, former National Woman Leader, Ina Ciroma and ex- National Organising Secretary of the party, Professor Ahmed Rufai Alkali.