Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have voted to allow the chairmanship of the party move to Northern Nigeria, sparking speculations that the party might be looking to zone its presidential ticket to the South in 2023.

The governors took the vote at their meeting held at the residence of the Akwa Ibom governor in Abuja on Wednesday.

The vote ended at a 9 – 3 count in favour of the North as Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Godwin Obaseki of Edo, Nyesom Wike of Rivers state and others voted in favour of the North.

Governors of Bauchi, Adamawa and Taraba however voted that the chairmanship should be zoned to the South.

While this move definitively may move PDP’s presidential flag bearer to the South, the opposition All Progressives Congress APC has said it will leave that decision to the voters, crossing out chances of primaries by zoning.

The PDP had earlier appointed Enugu governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to lead a zoning committee ahead of its national convention billed for October. It is however not immediately clear how the decision of the governors will affect that of the party generally.