The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC has taken a major step ahead of the 2027 general elections by officially zoning its presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria — but with a powerful condition that the position must return to the North in 2031.
The high-stakes decision was adopted on Friday during the party’s ongoing National Convention in Abuja after delegates overwhelmingly backed a zoning proposal aimed at balancing regional interests within the party.
Under the arrangement, only Southern aspirants will be eligible to contest for the NDC presidential ticket in 2027, while the party has already committed to rotating the position to Northern Nigeria after a single four-year term.
The motion was moved by Afam Victor Ogene, member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives, and received massive support from delegates at the convention.
Party stakeholders described the move as a strategic political compromise designed to strengthen unity, avoid internal rivalry, and position the party as a formidable force ahead of the next presidential election.
The zoning arrangement is widely believed to have significantly boosted the chances of Peter Obi emerging as the party’s presidential candidate following his recent defection to the NDC.
Obi joined the party alongside Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, whose entry into the opposition coalition has continued to reshape political calculations across the country.
Delegates at the convention reportedly erupted in applause after the announcement, with many describing the decision as a defining moment for the party’s future.
Meanwhile, several key national officers are expected to emerge unopposed as the convention continues, reinforcing efforts by the party leadership to project stability and consolidate its growing political alliance ahead of 2027.
