2027: A Southerner To Emerge As PDP Presidential Candidate

The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, shutting out the possibility of a northern candidate flying its flag in the next election.

This was part of the resolution reached at the party’s 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at its national headquarters in Abuja on Monday. The NEC also confirmed Ambassador Umar Damagum as the party’s Substantive National Chairman. He is to hold the position until the party’s elective national convention in Ibadan scheduled for November 15 and 16.

The decision of the party to zone its presidential ticket to the South mirrored a similar path taken by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), whose governors, National Working Committee (NWC), and National Assembly caucus have already adopted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for 2027.

If either Tinubu or a southern candidate of the PDP wins the 2027 election, by 2031 the South would have governed Nigeria for a cumulative 21 years since the return to democracy in 1999: Olusegun Obasanjo (1999–2007), Goodluck Jonathan (2010–2015), and Tinubu or another southern president (2023–2031).

In contrast, the North would have held power for only 11 years within the same period: Umaru Musa Yar’adua (2007–2010) and Muhammadu Buhari (2015–2023).

However, between independence in 1960 and the end of military rule in 1999, the North dominated power for a total of 34 years, compared with the South’s four and a half. Northern leaders during this period included Tafawa Balewa (1960–1966), Yakubu Gowon (1966–1975), Murtala Muhammed (1975–1976), Shehu Shagari (1979–1983), Muhammadu Buhari (1983–1985), Ibrahim Babangida (1985–1993), Sani Abacha (1993–1998), and Abdulsalami Abubakar (1998–1999). Of these, only Balewa and Shagari were democratically elected.
In the same period, the South produced three leaders: Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (January–July 1966), Obasanjo (1976–1979), and Ernest Shonekan (August–November 1993).