The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially announced the zoning of its presidential ticket to the southern part of the country for the 2027 general elections. This decision was disclosed during the party's national convention held in Abuja on Saturday, May 9, 2026. The announcement has sparked widespread discussion among political observers and the general public.
Background of the Zoning Decision
The zoning announcement comes shortly after the defection of prominent political figures Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso to the NDC. Both politicians were the presidential candidates of the Labour Party and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) respectively in the 2023 elections. They initially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) before moving to the NDC to pursue their presidential ambitions for 2027.
Supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso had urged them to leave the ADC due to concerns that the party's ticket might be secured by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is believed to have significant influence within the ADC. Additionally, the ADC had been reluctant to zone its presidential ticket to the south, a move many interpreted as favoring Atiku.
Implications for the 2027 Elections
With the NDC's zoning decision, Peter Obi is now widely expected to become the party's presidential candidate, while Rabiu Kwankwaso is projected to be his running mate. This arrangement aims to consolidate support from the southern and northern regions of the country.
Public Reactions
The announcement has generated mixed reactions from Nigerians across various platforms. Here are some of the comments:
- Onyeani Kalu expressed support, stating: "This favors Obi, who has always maintained he will go for one term to complete the eight years of the South. The NDC has smartly sealed their ticket for 2031, which will be the turn of the North and favor Kwankwaso by then. This is a masterstroke calculation by the NDC."
- Pragmatic highlighted potential challenges: "Good luck to them. The Obidient and Kwankwasiyya movements are strongly centered around their leaders. Many supporters feel a vice-presidential role does not align with their mandate. Obidients will only support Obi as president, not as VP, and Kwankwasiyya supporters will only support Kwankwaso as president."
- Oyafemi Kabiru criticized Obi's move: "I don't understand what Obi wants; he's desperate to be president. Atiku made an agreement with him to serve four years and hand over, but Obi wants power by force. There will be a lot of crying next year; Obi will cry on national TV. He thinks he's popular. Let's watch and see."
- Chencollins remarked: "Zoning the presidency to the South is what the ADC should have done easily, but they preferred to play hide-and-seek. Indeed, the NDC is the party and vehicle prepared by God to liberate oppressed Nigerians. Nigeria will be okay come 2027. We move!"
The NDC's zoning decision is seen as a strategic move to position the party for the 2027 presidential election, but it remains to be seen how the dynamics between Obi and Kwankwaso supporters will unfold.
