FORMER Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Saturday, May 9, welcomed the zoning of his party’s – the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) – presidential ticket to southern Nigeria.
Addressing party members at the NDC’s national convention in Abuja, the former minister of defence described the move as a path to national healing and fairness.
“It is therefore with great sense of unity and solidarity, that as a loyal party member, I support the decision to zone the presidential ticket of the NDC to the South, so that it allows the region to complete its turn in producing national leadership. This represents a true opportunity for true national healing. We shall work in abidance with the party’s agreement to ensure fairness and federal character in all ramifications.
“Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads. The world is undergoing a profound geopolitical shift, yet our nation has been caught unprepared, largely because of poor leadership. Instead of positioning Nigeria to seize emerging opportunities, bad governance has left us bearing the brunt of global changes,” Kwankwaso said.
However, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP) blamed the socio-economic crisis Nigeria currently faces had its roots from poor leadership.
Kwankwaso argued that poor leadership birthed insecurity, collapsing public institutions and other ills militating against the nation.
The ICIR reports that the party zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the south and 2031 to the north, following a motion moved by Afam Victor and seconded by Seyi Sowumi at the convention. The party’s national chairman, Moses Cleopas, described the convention as a crucial stage in the party’s efforts to position itself as a major force in the coming polls.
Zoning of the ADC presidential ticket to the South will bolster former Anambra State governor Peter Obi’s ambition to seek the Presidency on the party’s platform. There are strong indications that Obi and Kwankwaso will pair to contest for the Presidency in the ADC in 2027.
In his address at the convention, Kwankwaso accused the current federal government, led by President Bola Tinubu, of worsening the living conditions of Nigerians.
He said insecurity had created widows and orphans across the country while millions of citizens had been displaced from their homes. He noted that investments were leaving the country, infrastructure was neglected, education sector was collapsing, and harsh economic policies were being implemented without adequate relief measures for citizens.
The former senator said Nigeria’s political history showed that strategic alliances and inclusive leadership were key to national stability and progress.
He referenced historic political coalitions, including the alliance between the Northern Elements Progressive Union, led by the late Aminu Kano, and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons led by the late Nnamdi Azikiwe in 1954.
“Yet Nigeria’s history teaches us that in our most challenging moments, visionary alliances have provided the way forward. In 1954, a historic partnership was formed between the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), led by Aminu Kano and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), led by Nnamdi Azikiwe to achieve national unity,” he said.
Kwankwaso also cited the 1960 coalition between the NCNC and the Northern People’s Congress, as well as the alliance between the late Shehu Shagari and the late Alex Ekwueme under the National Party of Nigeria during the Second Republic.=
He added that the NDC would prioritise leadership free from ethnic jingoism and religious favouritism while promising fairness and federal character in governance.
The convention comes amid growing political realignments and coalition talks ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) currently has 31 of Nigeria’s 36 state governors and produced the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government, several opposition political parties, including the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) have been embroiled in leadership crisis ahead of the imminent polls.
Kwankwaso and Peter Obi recently defected from the ADC to the NDC following a Supreme Court judgment that put the former’s fate in the balance.
There was also an exodus of serving National Assembly members to the NDC as 20 members of the Senate and House of Representatives switched over to the party in just one week. Other political heavyweights from different parties also joined the ADC at one fell swoop.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.