Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, has criticized the party’s decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the south.

Speaking on Politics Today; a Channels TV program, Olawepo-Hashim maintained that the party had committed a big error that might haunt the party in 2027 elections.

According to him, the decision reached by the National Executive Committee (NEC) will play a big role in the reelection of APC likely presidential candidate, President Bola Tinubu.

“I’m not saying that they didn’t do it by majority. They did it by a majority. It was quite democratic. All the organs of the party decided. But it made a big error.

‎“Zoning the presidency to the South is a default campaign for the return of President Bola Tinubu.

“Because those who are mounting this campaign of zoning to the South are the same people who are saying, ‘We are in PDP, but we work for President Tinubu,’” he said.

Olawepo-Hashim insisted that the choice to zone the ticket to the Southern region will limit the party’s chances of producing a viable presidential candidate in the next general elections.

Olawepo-Hashim, a former presidential aspirant himself, described the move as unprecedented in the party’s history, citing past conventions as examples.

“It’s a default campaign for the PDP not to have a viable candidate by those people. So, this is a subtle campaign for an easy ride for Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

‎‎“The PDP has never zoned the presidency before. In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was then General Obasanjo, contested against Alhaji Rimi from northern Nigeria and some other candidates, including Alex Ekwueme, etc.

“In 2003, as a sitting president in the villa, President Obasanjo had to contest again with Chief Barnabas Gemade from Benue, Alhaji Rimi from Kano. The party never shut the door against any zone,” he added.

Speaking further, Olawepo-Hashim maintained that the zoning decision could spark a constitutional crisis, because the party’s decision violates provisions of the constitution.

‎‎“The constitution of Nigeria does not allow you to discriminate against a party member when it comes to an elective position on account of where he comes from,” he concluded.

Earlier on Monday, the PDP NEC reached a consensus to zone the party’s presidential ticket to the South in readiness to secure the apex seat that has eluded them since 2015.

This decision spells the end for Atiku Abubakar’s presidential bid under the party as he may now have to focus on securing the ADC coalition ticket if he has any ambition of contesting against Tinubu in 2027.

In the meeting, Umar Damagum was also confirmed as the  substantive national chairman ahead of the party’s convention in November.