 Indications have emerged that the zoning arrangement earlier adopted by the People's Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the 2023 general elections, may be jettisoned. The party had previously hinted that its national chairman would emerge from the Southwest with the names of Ayof Ayusheyo, Ola Gonsoye, Ola Bode George, and Aitaya Jegere, emerging as aspirants. Now, joining us to discuss this, this deputy spokesperson of the People's Democratic Party, Diron Odeyemi. Thank you very much, sir, for joining us. Thank you very much for the opportunity, I'm happy to do with you this evening. So give us a picture of what's happening in the PDP, and what, if there has been a change of heart, what exactly must have cost that to happen? Well, I read the report in the morning and it was funny to me because there is not this change that is happening in PDP, other than the fact that the committee set off due to me today, and we will be deliberating on the zoning arrangement, and we hope that because of the calibre of the people that formed the committee, they will come up with a very good zoning arrangement, which the party will adopt at the end of the day. Now, we all know that it's not a secret, former Vice President Atikua Buboka is still interested in eyeing the, you know, the party's ticket for the presidency, and same for the Governor of Saquoto State, if I'm not mistaken, Amino Tambua also seems to be interested in that ticket. So we're wondering if we have two people from the same zone, so far that we've known, eyeing that ticket, is there a possibility that it might go to that zone, and that means that you're still sticking to getting a party chairman from the Southwest, or do you have a possibility of zoning? Let's not also forget that Southern Governors have come out to say that they want the ticket for the presidency across political parties to be zoned to the Souths, because they believe that it should be the South's turn. Is the PDP going to be dancing to that music, or do you have other ideas? I think the President just tries to do the calculation here and there, and you can't blame them for doing their job. And as it is, all that I know is that in PDP today, events and activities are going on very well. We cannot say anything, because all these questions that we're asking are put aside. They are questioned about if this happens, or if this is likely to happen. But I can tell you that in PDP, we are obedient and we are elderly, and that is why there are committees in place. There is a committee that we arrange the zoning arrangement. There is a committee to conduct the Congress, and there is another committee for the Constellations. I would rather advise that we wait for these committees to submit their reports and to be adopted and accepted by the National Executive Council, which is the ice-body of the party. So not until all these things are done, all these things, all these activities, are the congestion of journalism and this work-off is allowed, but we, as a member, we are not bound to pre-empt what this committee will come our way. Well, we're not necessarily trying to pre-empt, but then, of course, there are regulations everywhere. The Egnugus State Governor is the one that is in charge of the zoning committee, and he hosted that meeting with certain governors, and then after that meeting, certain governors are pushing for zoning to the south. So this is the man who chairs the committee, and the people who came to that meeting have obviously taken a stand of sorts. Again, we do not know exactly what the party is going to come up with, but then, yes, the party has to favor the people. There are several people who are asking, and when I say people, I'm talking about Nigerians, who are advocating for power to be given to the south, even though the Northern Elders Forum has come up to also say that they will not be intimidated. Maybe they've also been reading the body language of both political parties, and maybe that these political parties are tilting towards the south. How does the PDP hope to deal with all of this? Because every zone is agitating for something, and you know that the European nation is agitating, the southeast is agitating, even the middle belt is agitating, and now the Northern Elders Forum are also talking tough, and they're saying they have the numbers. Will the PDP be swinging in that direction, knowing that they want to win? And will you not be doing anything in your power to make sure that you win? Come 2023? There is nothing wrong in agitation, that is the essence of politics. There is nothing wrong in asking, giving my zone the opportunity to do this. And I want to tell you that if you are relying on the outcome of the meetings of the southern governments that they are agitating, that the president should be sold to the south. I want to tell you that all these governments from the south may be unanimous in their decision, but they don't have the power. They don't even have to say that because they belong to different political parties. What operates in the APC is not bound to operate in PDP. But if there is some unanimous agreement across party lines, should that not be something that we should pay attention to? The governments don't have that right. That is what I'm saying. That is the difference. What do you mean they don't have rights? They're members of the political party. They can also... Mr. Deron, you just said now, Mr. Dayemi, you just said now that there's nothing wrong with asking or agitating, exactly. And then you, in the same breath, say they don't have a right. But they do have a right, to an extent. To agitate or call for what they think would be right for their region, whether it be in their party or outside their party. Right? The difference in what we are saying is that they can agitate, but they cannot dictate to the political party. All southern governments, all PDP southern governments, who partner with APC to come out with that decision, they know that when it gets to the PDP, that decision is not binding on the party. And that is why the power of where zoning lies or which zone gets to what is with the zoning committee right now. And it will be subjected to ratification by the National Executive Council of the party. So it's not the agitation of the governors, even though their partner, their counterpart from other political party, is not going to hold sway, is not going to be binding on the party. But there's nothing wrong there. They have the right, they can say anything, but the party will stay half its way. Interesting. All the numbers also play a role in the decision that you make. I refer you back again to the Nod Nelders Forum, saying that the North has the numbers and they will make sure that they're no longer exploited or used. It is part of the point to agitate. It's part of their reason to say yes. It doesn't really sound like an agitation. It sounds like a plan because he said that they are working on themselves and they already know the status quo and now they want to change it and they want to make sure that they're no longer shortchanged. That's how it sounded. It didn't really sound like an agitation of sorts. It sounded like they were definite. It is a campaign. The last time I checked, Nod Nelders Forum is not a political party. They are different reasons why they should get it. But what I'm saying is, when you look at the composition of the zoning committee, it comprises of all interest groups in PDP, the DOT, the government, the former government, the senators, the past and the present. It comprises of all the interest groups. And that is why it will be very difficult for this zoning committee to swing their support to any sites. Because all interest groups are put together to come out with a zoning formula that will ensure that PDP wins election in 2023. So let us wait on the responsibility of the talks. That will be interesting to the body. Okay. Let's talk about the internal issues. I mean, every political party does have internal issues as we speak. But the big elephant in the room is the rumors that the former president, Goodlock Jonathan, might be moving to the APC, even though he has not come out to say that he's moving to the APC. And then let's also not forget that in the past couple of weeks, if not months, we've seen a mass movement from the PDP to the APC. And it's continuing. We've seen FFK. We've also seen the reverse man who moves. We've also seen the Southeast minister who also moves. We've seen people move from your party and they're going in their droves. Well, this also affects the resolutions that the party is going to have going forward. I mean, the last time you and I had a conversation, you said that the party is trying to make sure that democracy, internal democracy works in the party, so that people do not cross-carpet. And I asked you, but if there are people from the APC moving to your party, would you not open your doors to them? And you said, yes. So how do you want to intend to stop these criss-crossings if you do not have a well-spelled out, ideological stand-off sort that holds people down? What you are asking me is a general problem that affects our democracy. And just like I said, personally, it's not something that keeps me joyed when you see people sleeping at APC today and waking up to say they are members of PDP tomorrow. Personally, it's not something that I have thought. And as you said that, I also mentioned the fact that until we have that electoral law, that for being anybody holding a position under a political party, crossing and taking that position to another party, not until we have that electoral law, not until we have that people will not stop crossing from one political party to the other. And good enough, there is a good development now. There is a new political formation that is, you know, around the corner, which is your discord. If this happens, perhaps it will enhance our democracy. And it makes the whole thing. How will it enhance the political democracy within the parties? Demand the media. Demand the media. Even if you have this here, this and that, there is no difference between the two. Even if a political party is coming up, it's a good development for democracy. But we have so many political parties in Nigeria. We have so many other political parties. In Nigeria, we have the APCA. We have the SDP. We have so many political parties. Why do we need a next show one? No, the next show one is going to be under one of the registered one I want to believe. That is my idea. But if they are going to register it afresh, well, it's all what I'm doing. But what I'm saying is, we want a vibrant political party that we come in and perhaps stop all this political crossover everywhere. This, it cracks me up a little bit because I'm trying to understand why you're saying we want. Why can't the PDP be that example? You seem to be the oldest amongst these parties. The PDP has been there before the APC was formed as a coalition of different political parties. Why are you waiting for someone else to effect the change that you could have effected? And set an example of source or set the tone if you really are people who are asking for true democracy within the political parties. Why don't you start within your party to set the ball rolling? In our political sector, you have people looking for an opportunity to start or to get to a position. And if they don't find such opportunity in PDP or APC, they have every right as a Nigeria and just like other political parties to as far as we are, that does not include the fact that the only way to achieve your political desire is to PDP, which has the best internal democracy that anybody can pick up. There is no big manism and there's no body, not individual that is in control of PDP. That is the difference. So it's a choice for Nigeria. If you say yes, you are coming to a political party, it's good enough. The more you marry, there is no joy in the victim where you don't have many people to say you have defeated. So we are not afraid as a political party and that is not to say that we are not recruiting or we are not asking people to come and join us. That is not it. But that is not to say that they are not welcome. We welcome them. Oh, what? Thank you. Diral Dayemi is the Deputy Spokesperson for the People's Democratic Party. Thank you very much for joining us. We appreciate it. Thank you very much for the opportunity. Well, we'll take a short break now to see what Nigerians have to say about the impact of a new party or a new movement on the political process. Stay with us. They should start from the basics. They should go for the grassroots positions like shaman-ship in local governments. If you want to mount an impact for presidential or governorship, there are a long way to go. I think a new political party in Nigeria will have to take a new dimension and bring all things back to Newton. So I think if you had a new political party in Nigeria precisely, the situation will automatically change. I think they will have to think and anything that can take impact on the youth's affairs. Just come and bring a change to the table. We are sick and tired of all these APCPDP and the rest. If another party can come out, we are glad and we'll be happy to have them. But to me, my own opinion, they are welcome. But I tell you, they are still a bit of the same further. They are welcome. Well, if we are going to have any new political party, any real effects they can have would have to be at the grassroots level. At the level of state governments, especially federal governments, no chance. Absolutely no chance. Is it the APCP or PDP? Once thank you all for watching. It's been Plus Politics. I am Mary-Anna Cohn. Do have a good evening.