The rage for the discontinuation of the zoning arrangement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the beginning of the democratic dispensation is on. From different divides of the country, views on this subject differ. In the North, the biggest concern after the death of President Musa Yar’Adua is what will happen to the remaining four years of the rotation arrangement. In this interview, the National Vice-Chairman ( North West ) of the PDP, Alhaji Danladi Sankara, insists that the North will produce the next PDP presidential candidate.

Presidential zoning
The true position is that the candidate of the PDP for 2011 election would emerge from the North. That is the official policy statement of the party and it will remain so. The founding fathers of the PDP saw and appreciated the great wisdom in rotating the Presidency between the North and South for the sake of peace, unity and stability of the nation and the sustenance of its democracy. It was also meant to give every section of the Nigerian nation the desired sense of belonging and equal opportunity to participate in political leadership at the highest level.

The zoning of the presidency between the North and South is one of the unique policies that has made the PDP the most attractive political party. The entrenchment of that policy is what has kept the nation united, stabilized the political system to the point that we have been able to sustain democracy for the longest period since Nigeria attained political independence in 1960 to date.
Let me seize this opportunity to re-affirm that the PDP stands firmly by its policy of producing the party’s presidential candidate from the North for the sake of the 2011 election. We have not changed the policy and it stands.

Unconstitutional rotation
Those you said are kicking against the retention of the Presidency in the North from 2011 to 2015 are either ignorant or have chosen to be mischief-makers. Agreed there is no specific provision in the Nigerian Constitution and the Constitution of the PDP for the rotational presidency, that reality does not erase the fact that the agreement to that effect even though unwritten, is subsistent and cannot be wished away under any guise or pretences. Let me hasten to explain that zoning is conventional tradition of the PDP.

It is not meant to be permanent, especially as it affects the office of President. It has to be operated full circle between the North and South till when democracy is fully and effectively appreciated and entrenched before the system could be thrown open. Now, let me clarify your question. It was on the basis of the PDP policy that former President, General Olusgeun Obasanjo, received massive support and got elected in 1999, and was re-elected in 2003, making clear two terms of eight years. And it was in keeping faith with the PDP zoning policy that the late Yar’Adua was elected president in 2007. He did not even complete the first term of four years before he died. Then, how do you even waste your time to think of throwing the contest open when the North still has another term of four years Presidency that is supposed to end by 2015? That is the fundamental question we should answer before any other thing.

[url]http://www.gistboard.com/content/presidency-remains-north-%E2%80%93sankara-pdp-national-vice-chairman-north-west[/url]

pdp is just a group of irresponsible criminals. it has been the order in pdp that is zoning. just for personal interests now, few ppl are out to destroy that.
i see nothing jonathan(obj boy) been the president come 2011. what tangible thing has he done with the little time he has now apart from chassing ibori out of nigeria?
abeg let them give the northerners their position for the next four years before obj will give it back to his pals.

O.k Mr. Ankara. Whatever you say,even cats have the right to meow.At the end of the day you will see and realise the north is not the only region in this country.Everyone is tired and we want change!If a northerner will bring that change let him be chosen by the people and prove himself before them.Or are u scared that the tribal politics you and ur brothers institutionalized will work against you?

what if another party won the electon with a Southerner