THE Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi-led Peoples Democratic Party Zoning Committee unlikely to turn in its report this week as the National Convention Planning Committee of the party had hoped.

UGAMATV gathered in Abuja, on Monday, that the zoning committee which is preparing to hold its first meeting since inauguration on Friday last week, is working out a schedule for consultations with stakeholders.

Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri who is the Chairman of the PDP National Convention Planning Committee had expressed the desire to receive the report of the zoning committee within one week to enable his committee begin its work in earnest.

He said, “To make our job start in earnest, I call on the zoning committee to work and conclude their assignment by the end of next week, so that we can start our job. It is not an order, but that is what we least expect from you, end of Friday next week.

“Roundup your job so that those who are interested to contest and occupy these very important positions in our party will start crisscrossing Nigeria.”

However, a member of the Zoning Committee who spoke said in confidence, ‘so as not to preempt the committee,’ said, “As you must be aware the issue of zoning is a very sensitive one which must be handled with utmost care.  Even the All Progressives Congress that is the ruling party is being careful because of this.

“For the first time, Southern Governors across party lines are united on issues on issues of common interest, any political party that gets this zoning issue wrong, should just forget the 2023 Presidency.

“At our committee level, we will meet this week and quickly reach out to party stakeholders. We are fully aware of our limitations especially with respect to time, but what is worth doing is worth doing well.

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“When we conclude our work, we will submit our report to the National Working Committee which in turn will submit recommendations to the National Executive Committee for ratification before implementation. You see, it takes a process.”

The Governor Fintiri-led convention committee will require details of the zoning arrangement agreed upon to carry out activities such as the sale of nomination forms and allied activities to interested party members.

When contacted, National Publicity Secretary of the party Kola Ologbondiyan said the party has implicit confidence in the committees set up to handle the convention.

He said “NEC set up the committee and its members are tested men and women who were chosen based on their track record of service to our great party. We have no doubt that we are going to have the best of conventions.”