Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, has acknowledged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made a critical miscalculation by fielding former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, August 26, Moro said the party’s decision to abandon its traditional zoning arrangement and present a northern candidate to succeed another northern president significantly contributed to its loss at the polls.
“In 2022, the PDP, in its bid to regain power from the APC, decided to set aside zoning and field its strongest candidate. Unfortunately, that move backfired. The idea of having a northern candidate succeed a northern president was widely resisted, and it played a major role in our defeat,” Moro stated.
He added that the party has since reviewed its 2023 strategy and acknowledged the error in judgment. “After reflecting on the outcome, the consensus within the party is clear—fielding a northern candidate was a mistake. The people rejected it, and we must learn from that,” he said.
Moro further noted that in a bid to promote unity and fairness, the PDP has resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South. “This time, in the spirit of justice and equity, PDP leaders agreed to move the ticket to the South. It’s what many Nigerians felt should have happened in 2023. The election results made that clear,” he explained.
Describing the party’s 2023 defeat as a “monumental loss,” Moro expressed hope that the new direction would help rebuild public trust and restore internal cohesion.
His remarks come shortly after the PDP officially zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South—a move party leaders say is aimed at healing divisions and positioning the PDP for a stronger comeback.
