Senate Minority Leader and senior Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) figure, Senator Abba Moro, has conceded that the party erred in presenting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate in the 2023 presidential election.
Moro admitted that, in its desperation to unseat the All Progressives Congress (APC), the PDP abandoned its long-standing zoning arrangement and opted for an open contest. The move, he said, was intended to allow the “best candidate” to emerge but ultimately backfired, as Nigerians were reluctant to support another northern candidate immediately after former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure.
Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Moro said:
“In 2022, the PDP threw open the zoning arrangement to put its best foot forward. Unfortunately, that decision backfired because Nigerians resisted the idea of a northern candidate taking over from a northern president. That contributed significantly to our defeat in 2023.”
The lawmaker emphasized that the PDP has since reflected on the outcome and resolved to heed the will of the people by zoning its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
“This time, in the spirit of unity, fairness, and justice, PDP leaders have reviewed the situation and agreed that we made a mistake in 2023 by fielding a northern candidate. We have decided to correct that by moving the ticket southward, where Nigerians believe it should have been. The people spoke, and clearly, it was an error on our part.
“We lost a monumental election in a disastrous manner, but we have learned from it,” he stated.
Moro’s comments come shortly after the PDP formally confirmed that its 2027 presidential ticket will be reserved for the South.
