2027: NDC Gives Peter Obi A Headstart As Party Zones Presidential Ticket To South 

* North To Pick 2031 Ticket

By Olumuyiwa Olumuyiwa

From all indications, former governor of Anambra state, Peter Obi, is in a pole position to fly the flag of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.

This is as NDC zoned its presidential ticket for the forthcoming election to the south, a development giving Obi an edge over Kwankwaso another prominent politican who could have given him a run for his money in a primary election.

Kwankwaso is from Kano State which is in the northern region of the country and this fact has shut the door against his presidential ambition if he is nursing any.

The decision to zone the presidential ticket to the south was  taken on Saturday at the party’s national convention in a resolution adopted after a motion moved by Afam Victor and seconded by Seyi Sowumi.

The party also allocated the 2031 slot to the north, implying that Kwankwaso will likely be Obi’s running mate in 2027.

It also implies that Kwankwaso will position himself to take the lever of power from the ex-Anambra governor at the end of Obi’s single tenure should they secure victory at the poll in the forthcoming election.

The convention also ratified all members of the NDC’s national executive committee following a motion moved by Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central.

The zoning arrangement is in line with the party’s strategy to ensure rotational representation between the north and south in its future presidential bids.

With this development,  the alliance forged by Obi and Kwankwaso purposely to wrest the reins of power from President Bola Tinubu is just a step away from coming to fruition.

Touted by their mammoth supporters as ‘OK’ movement’, Obi and Kwankwaso will likely put their collective clout to test against Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (APC) in a replica of the 2023 race.

Earlier in the week, Buba Galadima, a political associate of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, said that the party had already zoned the ticket to the south.

“We have zoned the party’s presidential candidature to the south. No missing votes. We’ve zoned it to the south,” he said.

Meanwhile the party has stated that primaries will be conducted for all elective positions including the presidency.