Public intellectual and political analyst, Prof. Udenta O. Udenta, has issued a stern warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that the opposition party will face certain defeat in the 2027 presidential election if it fields a Northern candidate.
Udenta, who spoke when he appeared on Arise TV’s programme on Friday night, said the party’s decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South was both a moral imperative and a political necessity that could determine its survival.
“For the first time in this Republic, PDP has categorically and expressly zoned its presidential ticket to the South,” he said. “If PDP fields a Northerner, there is no chance in hell. No Northerner will secure 25% in the South because the region is determined to keep power until 2031. That makes zoning to the South not just moral, but strategic.”
Udenta explained that zoning ensures stability and prevents internal rebellion within the party. “2023 was raucous, full of dissension and rebellion because the zoning question was left ambiguous. Some top members openly revolted. This time, the governors took the hammer down, reached consensus, and gave the party stability.”
He singled out the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, for showing statesmanship by shelving his personal ambition.
“As Bala Mohammed said in his interview, ‘I had to shelve my ambition for the overall interest of the party, Nigeria, and democracy.’ That is leadership. He sacrificed his own aspiration to ensure unity within PDP,” Udenta noted.
According to him, zoning is not only about morality but also about preserving balance in the political system. “You already have a president from the South in 2023. The cycle is eight years. If a Southern president serves only one term, the moral imperative is for the party to retain it in the South until 2031. That way, whoever emerges will understand the need to balance it.”
On criticisms that zoning undermines merit, Udenta disagreed strongly. “Nigeria is brimming with talent. From one local government, you can find 30 professors and 70 professionals in different fields. Across North, East, West, and South, there is depth of experience. Zoning does not contradict efficiency; it simply guides fairness. Within the zone, you still pick the best.”
He added: “Whether zoning or not, if politicians don’t want the best, they won’t pick the best. But zoning ensures inclusivity and balance.”
Udenta also observed that the party’s recent reconciliation moves, particularly the restoration of its suspended National Secretary, had helped calm tensions. “Once the party courageously restored him, all parallel structures disappeared. The problem was no longer political but legal, and PDP handled it. The party is out of the woods, though it must do more before its November convention.”
Concluding, Udenta stressed that zoning was a lifeline for PDP: “If the party stays consistent, its decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South could reshape Nigeria’s politics. But if it fields a Northerner, it has no chance in hell.”
