The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria for a single four-year term, while reserving the vice-presidential position for the North in a move aimed at promoting national balance and political inclusion.
The decision was reached during the party’s maiden National Convention held at the Los Angeles Event Centre in Abuja, where delegates endorsed a rotational arrangement expected to shape the party’s strategy ahead of the next general election.
The resolution is seen as a major boost for southern political figures, including former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and other aspirants from the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones, who are now eligible to contest for the party’s presidential nomination.
The motion for the zoning arrangement was moved by Victor Ogene, the lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency of Anambra State in the House of Representatives.
Delegates at the convention also agreed that after the completion of the proposed single four-year tenure by a southern president, the party’s presidential ticket would automatically return to the North in 2031.
Speaking during the convention, Ogene said the arrangement reflected the party’s commitment to fairness, unity, and national stability amid ongoing debates over power rotation in Nigeria.
According to him, the decision goes beyond politics and represents a deliberate effort to strengthen national cohesion and reduce regional tensions associated with leadership succession.
“In recognition of our country’s diversity and the need for balance, the party has resolved that the presidency shall rotate to the South in 2027 for a single term and subsequently return to the North in 2031,” he stated.
Party leaders described the zoning formula as a strategic framework designed to ensure inclusiveness and equal representation across Nigeria’s regions as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
