Peoples Democratic Party has said it has no information that the South-East geopolitical zone is
agitating to take a shot at the presidency. It said such calls are coming from “disgruntled” persons.
More politicians from the zone and the apex Igbo socio-political body, Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo, have recently decried the area’s alleged marginalisation at the presidential level.
However, the National Publicity Secretary, PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone on Friday, said the rotational presidency was no more relevant, adding that presidential candidates would henceforth be picked on merit.
He said, “I am not aware that the Igbo are calling for the presidency; you can quote me on that. I noticed that one or two disgruntled persons are saying it. Nigeria has gone beyond the equation of where a person (presidential candidate) comes from; we have transcended that.
“The most important thing is the capacity and the capability of whoever is heading Nigeria, and that is why we are looking at the entire country. It is not about where you are coming from; it’s about your capacity and your agenda for the nation.”
Reacting to the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha’s statement on Thursday that PDP had failed the South-East, Metuh described the governor as a regional politician who should be ignored at the national level.
“I have directed the South-East zone publicity secretary to answer him. He is a regional player; he’s not a national player. We don’t need to reply him at the national secretariat,” he said.
Okorocha, who was a founding member of PDP, had, while explaining why he pitched his tent with the newly formed All Progressives Congress, said he had nothing against President Goodluck Jonathan but his party, the PDP.
