Why the South Got NDC’s 2027 Presidential Ticket — Kwankwasiyya Movement Speaks

Supporters of former Kano State Governor Rabi’u Kwankwaso under the platform of the Kwankwasiyya Movement have defended the decision of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to zone its presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The National Coordinator of the movement, Habeeb Saleh, made the position known on Monday during an interview on Arise Television, where he said the decision was rooted in the belief in national unity and inclusiveness.

According to Saleh, the zoning arrangement reflects the party’s commitment to promoting trust, fairness, and mutual understanding among Nigerians across different regions of the country.

“Zoning the NDC presidency to the South is a product of believing in one Nigeria,” he said during the interview.

He explained that political decisions within the party are expected to promote national stability and strengthen confidence among citizens, regardless of ethnic or regional differences.

“But the reality before us is that decisions are taken that will naturally stabilize the entirety of Nigerians,” he added.

Saleh further stated that the party believes all Nigerians should feel represented and included in the country’s political process, stressing that zoning the ticket to the South was intended to reinforce national cohesion.

“That decision has to be such that it will bring in trust and mutual understanding within ourselves,” he said.

He also noted that the NDC wants Nigerians to have confidence that the party and its political actors are committed to placing national interest above personal or sectional ambitions.

“So justification of actually zoning this presidency to the South, the NDC believes that all Nigerians need to be on the same page. And they need to also have this confidence that the party, all those actors within the party, are such that have the Nigerian interest at heart,” Saleh stated.

The remarks come amid growing political debate over zoning and regional power rotation ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with several opposition groups already taking positions on where their presidential tickets should be allocated.