A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, has called on the party to zone its presidential ticket for the 2027 general election to the southern part of the country.
Amaechi made the call while speaking at a meeting with ADC leaders in Kano State, stressing that zoning the ticket to the South would improve the party’s chances of gaining nationwide support.
According to him, fielding a northern candidate could make it difficult to convince voters in the South to back the party, given the prevailing expectations around power rotation in the country.
“The ADC presidential ticket should go to the South. If a candidate from the North eventually emerges, I’m not saying we won’t campaign, but it will be difficult to persuade the South to support such a move,” he said.
Amaechi also advised the party to carefully search for a candidate Nigerians can trust to deliver real change. He listed capacity, age and respect for the informal zoning arrangement as key factors the party must consider when choosing its flagbearer.
He explained that the current understanding is for power to remain in the South before being transferred back to the North, noting that respecting this arrangement would make it easier for southern politicians to mobilise support.
However, Amaechi maintained that he would remain loyal to the party’s decision, regardless of where the eventual candidate comes from.
“Whether the candidate is from the South or the North is not the most important thing. I will support whoever emerges from the party’s primaries,” he added.
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