Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, may have received a significant political boost ahead of the 2027 general election following the decision of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to zone its presidential ticket to the South.

A key ally of former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Buba Galadima, disclosed this on Monday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme.

Galadima said the party had concluded plans to submit its membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on May 5 or 6, as part of efforts to strengthen its structure ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Once we do that, we are good to go,” he said.

He further confirmed that the party had resolved to zone its presidential ticket to the southern region.

“We have zoned the party’s presidential candidature to the South. No missing votes. We’ve zoned it to the South,” he stated.

The decision is expected to bolster Obi’s prospects within the party, given his longstanding stance on power rotation and equitable political representation across regions.

Political observers say the arrangement could place the former Anambra State governor in a favourable position ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.

Galadima, however, clarified that the NDC was not considering a consensus arrangement for its presidential ticket, insisting that the party would conduct open and credible primaries.

The development comes shortly after Obi and Kwankwaso reportedly aligned with the NDC following their exit from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has been facing internal disputes in recent months.

Obi had earlier distanced himself from ADC activities, citing concerns over zoning arrangements and internal power-sharing structures, warning that unresolved issues of equity could undermine opposition cohesion ahead of 2027.

Analysts suggest the NDC’s zoning decision could consolidate (The Nation)