There has been a lot of debate about PDP zoning both from all within the PDP members and from non-PDP members who see the next PDP Cnadidate as the default President.

But folks have been far from honest about what the story truly is.

PDP members claim to have a zoning arrangement in place even though Abubakar Rimi (1999 & 2003); Barnabas Gemade (2003); Rochas Okorocha (2007); all came from the wrong zones at the time if zoning existed and yet their application forms were recognised, they were not disqualified, their votes in the Primaries were counted and the final results sheet reflected their participation and recognised their total votes.

So what has been the modus operandi of the PDP so far if this much is fact?

Have they been zoning the results of primary and choosing a winner even before the primary itself?
Have their PDP conventions to choose the party leader been a charade so far? Since they choose a leader before staging a process to produce the predetermined results!!!!!1

I think this whole zoning debate is an indictment on PDP activities so far. I don't care what side of this argument any individual subscribe to but we can all agree that the PDP is far from democratic and for a party promising reform they have not shown a lot of signs that they are ready to change.

Want to know what 2011 elections will look like? Take a look at how the next party chairman will be chosen. The PDP constitution says that Party executives must be chosen at a convention. They are not talking about a convention at all where party delegates will elect a chairman, they are busy trying to select a leader behind the scene. They have no interest in having a debate where candidates can argue for their view on the future of politics in Nigeria and within the party.

And the sad truth is that those in opposition have not made any attempt to want to do things differently, involve the generality of the public in choosing their leaders just to put the PDP on the spotlight and highlight a difference in party approach to politics and claim that they are any different and will offer something different if in power.

You know what? I think 2011 might just look like 2007.