National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned the party’s chairmanship position to the North-East geo-political zone where its acting National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, comes from.

The decision was reached at the party’s 70th National Executive Council meeting held on Thursday at its national secretariat in Abuja despite threats of mass defection by some of its chieftains who insisted the position be zoned to the Southwest region.

With the decision, Sheriff who was appointed in February to complete the tenure of Adamu Mu’azu and has been pushing to hold on to the position amid opposition from mainly southwest PDP leaders, is edging closer to his dream.

Sheriff said that the NEC received the report of the Zoning Committee presented by its Chairman, Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom adding that the committee’s zoning recommendation was unanimously adopted at the NEC meeting.

The newly adopted zoning arrangements are as follows:

i. National Chairman – North-East
ii. Deputy National Chairman – South-South
iii. National Secretary – South-West
iv. Deputy National Secretary – North-Central
v. National Legal Adviser – North-West
vi. Deputy National Legal Adviser – South-South
vii. National Treasurer – South-South
viii. Deputy National Treasurer – North-West
ix. National Financial Secretary – North-Central
x. Deputy National Financial Sec. – South-East
xi. National Woman Leader – North-West
xii. Deputy National Woman Leader – South-South
xiii. National Auditor – South-West
xiv. Deputy National Auditor – North-East
xv. National Publicity Secretary – South-West
xvi. Deputy National Publicity Sec. – North-Central
xvii. National Organizing Secretary – South-East
xviii. Deputy National Organizing Sec. – North-Central
xix. National Youth Leader – South- East
xix. Deputy National Youth Leader – North-West

Sheriff said that the NEC also received the proposal for the amendment of the party’s constitution and unanimously agreed to debate it at the next NEC meeting, scheduled for May 11.

“NEC considered and adopted the amendments made on the Guidelines for the 2016 Congresses and National Convention affecting Section 4.02,” he said.

“The section stipulated specific timelines for purchases of forms for various offices, to now remain open and members can purchase form at any given time or period and contest any position of their choice.”

(Story by David Oputah, TheWill)