Why I Stepped Down from PDP Zonal Chairmanship Race – Simon Leshe
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…Urges FCT PDP to Tender Apology to Hon. Stephen Abraham Ajiya
Simon Leshe, a prominent chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has given insight into what led his refrain from pursuing his earlier aspiration to contest for the position of the PDP North Central Zonal Chairmanship/National Vice Chairman of the party.
Leshe spoke in a recent address shared on social media, explaining his reasons for withdrawing from the race ahead of the party’s zonal congress.
Leshe emphasized that his decision was made “in fairness to allow a free level ground for the FCT/North Central Zone indigenes the opportunity to occupy the position zoned to FCT.”
He acknowledged the overwhelming support and calls from various geopolitical zones and indigenes, urging him to step aside and favour the indigenes of FCT in particular.
In his address, Leshe appealed to the PDP FCT leadership to reconsider their endorsement of a particular candidate as a “consensus candidate for the PDP FCT (zoned) position of North Central Zonal Chairman.”
He criticized the leadership for not following due processes in choosing and endorsing a consensus candidate. Leshe argued that the party leadership should have been “neutral, transparent, and fair to both candidates” and facilitated discussions among the aspirants to reach a consensus.
Leshe further suggested that if the aspirants failed to agree on a consensus candidate, the party leadership could suggest a candidate to the members for their respective opinions and obtain the consents of all aspirants involved in the contest.
He urged the party to organize a free and fair contest at the zonal office venue of the congress on March 22, 2025, rather than endorsing a candidate without following due process.
Leshe also called for an apology from the party leadership to the other candidate for their previous wrong decision of endorsement, without following due processes. He reminded his party members of the PDP slogan, “power to the people” and urged them to join hands to rebuild the party.
Leshe’s address concluded with a heartfelt appeal: “Please let us all join hands to rebuild our great party PDP once again to bounce back! Thank you all. I come in peace!”
This development is expected to have significant implications for the upcoming PDP zonal congress and the party’s efforts to regain its former glory as the party for the people.
A prominent candidate, Hon Stephen Abraham Ajiya had petitioned the zonal chairman of the party over the endorsement of his opponent by the FCT leadership of the party even when he was the first to obtain nomination and expression of interest forms ahead of the congress.
In a recent press release, the Hon Stephen Abraham Ajiya Campaign Council had also demanded a formal apology from the PDP FCT Executive Committee, to Hon. Stephen Abraham Ajiya for initially releasing a communiqué adopting an aspirant against another, contrary to the party’s constitution.
The council had made the demand in a statement jointly signed at the weekend by Hon. Alfa Nma, Director General (DG) and Mr Joseph Garba, Public Relations Officer (PRO) on its behalf, insisting that the action of the concerned state executive undermines the democratic process and disregards the rights of aspirants.
Recall that a petition filed by Hon. Ajiya on January 13, 2025 and addressed to the Zonal Chairman,
PDP North Central Zone, had accused the PDP FCT State Publicity Secretary and her cohorts of plotting to manipulate the elective zonal congress of the party, prevent due process, and impose unpopular candidates without election and due process.
The disputed communiqué was signed by Josephine Itoyah-Splendor, PDP FCT State Publicity Secretary on December 19, 2024, purportedly nominating Alhaji Abdulrahma Mohammed as the sole candidate for Chairman PDP North Central Zonal, contrary to the party’s constitution.
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