By Ayomide Otitoju
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that its 2027 presidential ticket has been zoned to Southern Nigeria.
In a statement on its official social media handle, the party declared: “NDC presidential ticket is zoned to the South!!” It added that the ticket will be for a single four-year term, while the 2031 presidential ticket has been allocated to Northern Nigeria.
The decision comes as key political figures, including Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, alongside other party leaders, meet in Abuja for the NDC national convention.
The convention is expected to review and ratify several recent decisions of the National Executive Committee, with key items on the agenda including zoning arrangements, amendments to the party constitution, and the election of new national officers.
The NDC has recently experienced a wave of defections from other political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), strengthening its ranks ahead of the 2027 elections.
On Tuesday, at least 17 members of the House of Representatives defected from the ADC to the NDC. The lawmakers include Yusuf Datti, Uchenna Okonkwo, Adamu Wakili, Thaddeus Attah, George Ozodinobi, Lilian Orogbu, Oluwaseyi Sowunmi, Peter Aniekwe, Mukhtar Zakari, George Oluwande, Munachim Umezuruike, Emeka Idu, Jesse Onuakalusi, Ifeanyi Uzokwe, Afam Ogene, Murphy Omoruyi, and Abdulhakeem Ado.
Their defection followed the formal entry of Obi and Kwankwaso into the NDC on Sunday, when both politicians received their party membership cards at a ceremony attended by supporters after a closed-door meeting with party leaders.
They were formally received into the party by former Bayelsa State Governor and NDC national leader, Seriake Dickson.
Obi, a former Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, said his exit from the ADC was driven by worsening internal crises, external interference, and growing political hostility within party structures. He had joined the ADC in December 2025 after leaving the Labour Party.
He further described Nigeria’s political environment as increasingly toxic, citing intimidation, insecurity, and persistent scrutiny of opposition figures, while lamenting that governance systems are becoming less protective of citizens and more hostile to those seeking public service.
