2027: ADC, LP leaders want Southern presidency

By Omeiza Ajayi & Golok Nanmwa

Jos—Some Middle Belt leaders in African Democratic Congress, ADC, and Labour Party want Southern presidency in forthcoming 2027 elections.  

While the Middle Belt leaders in ADC said they had  resolved not to field a presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections in the interest of national balance, fairness and inclusion, Labour Party, LP, already has zoned its presidential ticket to the South, effectively barring aspirants from the North from contesting for the position on its platform.

The resolution by the Middle Belt leaders was reached at the Middle-Belt Cognac ADC Strategy Conference, also known as the COPDEN/ADC Middle-Belt Strategy Conference in Jos, Plateau State, yesterday.

Organised by the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy, COPDEN, in collaboration with the African Democratic Congress, ADC, the conference had the theme, “Nigeria at Crossroads: Building the Green Coalition for 2027.”

Prince Pam Rwang,  Coordinator of the group, who read the communiqué, described the decision as a strategic move aimed at strengthening national cohesion, ahead of the 2027 polls.

After extensive deliberations, participants unanimously agreed that Nigerian elections were won through broad-based coalitions, rather than regional dominance.

They noted that the Middle Belt served as a decisive electoral bridge between the North and the South, saying: “A major  highlight of the conference was the strong emphasis on fairness and rotational leadership.  

“Delegates observed that zoning and power rotation are already practised at state, local government and ward levels across the country, and should, therefore, be respected at the national, presidential level. The Middle Belt will not seek to lead from the front.”

The region resolved to position itself as a conscious, strategic and decisive political bloc that shaped national outcomes through alliances, rather than sectional contestation.

The communiqué stated that the presidential ticket of the ADC should be zoned to Southern Nigeria, in line with Nigeria’s established culture of balance and inclusion.

Stakeholders stressed that Nigerians respond positively to political arrangements that promote justice, equity and a sense of belonging for all regions.

LP zones presidential ticket to south as court dismisses leadership challenge

On her part, chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of Labour Party, Senator Esther Nenadi-Usman, disclosed in Abuja, yesterday, that the party would not field a northern candidate for the 2027 presidential election to make way for a southern candidate.

This followed a consultative meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Nenadi-Usman emphasised that the decision was a firm policy shift intended to provide clarity for prospective aspirants, ahead of the next general election.

She said: “We have one certain decision that we have taken. That is to say we will certainly not field any aspirant from Northern Nigeria. We have zoned the position to Southern Nigeria. 

‘’So if any northerner comes now to want to contest elections, we certainly will not accept that.”

While confirming the regional preference, the national chairman noted that the party remained committed to internal democracy and would not handpick a specific individual.

“As for who, I can’t tell you now because then it won’t be democratic anymore. When the aspirants come, whoever the people like and vote for during the primaries, then whoever it is that wins the primaries, then we put them in the position,” she said.

The announcement comes on the heels of a significant legal victory for the party’s current leadership.

Nenadi-Usman confirmed that a suit filed at a High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, against the National Caretaker Committee was dismissed for lacking merit.

“To God be the glory, the case was thrown out. The court discovered that they had no locus standi. I believe the judge did very well by standing on truth and the case is now thrown out, so it is over,”  she stated.

Regarding the party’s upcoming congresses, originally slated to begin tomorrow, the chairman hinted at a potential adjustment to the timetable to accommodate a “surge” of new members.

She argued that sticking to the immediate date might disenfranchise many currently seeking to join the party. 

“If we go ahead to stick to that date, to my mind, we are going to disenfranchise quite a number of people. I think we should tinker with that date, sit together as a group and come up with a new date,” Nenadi-Usman said.

She also touched on a recent security breach involving party property, confirming that a formal petition had been submitted to the police.

The LP chairman expressed confidence that the authorities would “bring to book, all those who had a hand in what happened” to serve as a deterrent against future political violence.

The post 2027: ADC, LP leaders want Southern presidency appeared first on Vanguard News.