ABUJA — Buba Galadima, a prominent Nigerian politician and chieftain of the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress, has officially confirmed that the party has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region of the country. The announcement, made during a televised interview on Channels Television on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, marks a major strategic shift in the country's opposition landscape as parties begin to formalize their structures for the next general election.
The disclosure by Galadima, a veteran political strategist and former chieftain of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party, follows the high-profile entry of two major political figures into the party. Just 48 hours prior to the announcement, Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, the former Governor of Kano State and leader of the New Nigeria People's Party, both formally defected to the NDC.
According to Galadima, the party is moving rapidly to comply with the administrative requirements set by the Independent National Electoral Commission. He revealed that the NDC has perfected its internal documentation and is prepared to meet the looming statutory deadlines for political party submissions.
Well, I don’t know whether you’re saying election but I am talking about primaries, Galadima said when asked about the party’s roadmap. That is the major issue before us now: primaries. The NDC will submit its register either on the 5th or 6th of this month, that is either today being Tuesday or Wednesday. So, once we do that, we are good to go and we have zoned the party’s presidential candidature to the South.
The decision to zone the presidency to the South is particularly significant given the recent arrival of Peter Obi into the party's ranks. While Rabiu Kwankwaso—a northern political heavyweight—is also a member, the zoning arrangement suggests a power-sharing agreement may have been reached between the two leaders, potentially positioning a southern candidate at the top of the ticket with northern support.
Galadima urged Nigerians who are interested in contesting any elective position in the 2027 elections to act quickly. He emphasized that the window for registration is closing fast due to the requirement to submit a verified membership list to the electoral commission.
No mincing words, we’ve zoned it to the South, therefore, whoever is from the South, if they want to run, should go and register quickly, today, Galadima added. This is so that your name gets into the register before submission to INEC.
The NDC’s emergence as a "third force" has been accelerated by a Federal High Court order that cleared the way for its registration earlier this year. With the formal zoning of its top ticket and the reported influx of millions of new members following Obi’s defection, the party is positioning itself as the primary challenger to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Political analysts suggest that the zoning of the presidency to the South by the NDC is a calculated move to appeal to voters in the southern geopolitical zones who feel the need for continued representation, while leveraging the grassroots "Kwankwasiyya" movement in the North to build a national coalition. As the party prepares to submit its register to the commission tomorrow, all eyes are on how this new alliance between Obi and Kwankwaso will navigate the upcoming primary season.
Given that the NDC has now officially zoned its ticket to the South, how do you think this decision will affect the internal dynamics and roles of northern leaders like Rabiu Kwankwaso within the party?
