….Kwankwaso Endorses Zoning Formula at Abuja Convention
…Party Fixes North’s Return Bid for 2031
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria as part of resolutions reached at the party’s national convention held in Abuja on Saturday.
The party also proposed that the presidential candidate elected under the arrangement would serve a single four-year term, after which the ticket would return to Northern Nigeria in 2031.
Announcing the decision through its official communication channels, the party declared: “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South.”
The convention brought together key opposition figures and party stakeholders, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Party leaders at the convention deliberated on major issues affecting the future direction of the NDC, including zoning arrangements, ratification of amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national executives.
The development comes amid a wave of defections into the party from other opposition platforms, particularly the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
No fewer than 17 members of the House of Representatives recently defected from the ADC to the NDC, further strengthening the party’s growing influence within the opposition bloc.
Among the lawmakers who joined the NDC are Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande, and Munachim Umezuruike.
Others include Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi, and Abdulhakeem Ado.
The defections followed the formal entry of Obi and Kwankwaso into the NDC from the ADC earlier in the week.
Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, was presented with the party’s membership card alongside Kwankwaso after a closed-door meeting with NDC leaders in Abuja.
The duo were officially received into the party by Seriake Dickson, described by the party as one of its national leaders.
Explaining his decision to leave the ADC, Obi cited worsening political tensions, internal party crises, and what he described as increasing hostility and intimidation within the nation’s political environment.
According to him, Nigeria’s political space has become increasingly toxic, making it difficult for individuals committed to genuine public service to operate freely.
Speaking at the convention, Kwankwaso threw his weight behind the zoning arrangement, describing it as a pathway to “national healing” and unity.
“It is therefore with a great sense of unity and solidarity that, as a loyal party member, I support the decision to zone the presidential ticket of the NDC to the South, so that it allows the region to complete its turn in producing national leadership,” he said.
Kwankwaso added that the arrangement reflects fairness, equity, and adherence to the federal character principle.
The former Kano governor also criticised the current state of governance in the country, lamenting the worsening economic hardship, insecurity, declining educational standards, and what he termed harsh economic policies without adequate relief measures for citizens.
According to him, Nigeria is presently at a “critical crossroads,” requiring purposeful leadership capable of restoring public confidence and national dignity.
He expressed confidence that the NDC would provide a credible alternative capable of transforming governance and improving the welfare of Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora.
The zoning decision is expected to shape political alignments within the opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election, especially as President Bola Tinubu, who hails from Southern Nigeria, continues his first term in office following the completion of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure.
