Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised the reported decision of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) coalition to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South for a single term.
Newsmaxng reports that the decision was reached during the party’s maiden national convention in Abuja, where delegates resolved that the presidential ticket would remain in the South for only one four-year tenure before returning to the North in 2031.
The arrangement is widely believed to favour Peter Obi, who is seen as a leading figure within the coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Reports also indicate that the zoning formula was adopted as part of efforts to promote equity, inclusion, and regional balance within the emerging opposition alliance. The move followed recent political realignments involving Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso after their reported exit from the ADC coalition.
In a statement shared on X, Keyamo described the arrangement as an attempt to “hoodwink Nigerians,” comparing it to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2011 promise to serve only one full term.
Reacting to the development, the minister questioned what would happen if Peter Obi eventually emerges as the party’s presidential candidate and later decides to remain in office beyond a single term.
Keyamo argued that such a political agreement could easily be reversed by party leadership if the opposition eventually wins power in 2027.
According to him, the arrangement exposes what he described as the opposition’s dilemma ahead of the next presidential election and reflects desperation within the coalition.
He further dismissed the move as “a joke taken too far,” insisting that it amounts to what he termed “political 419.”