The African Democratic Congress (ADC), the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have differed over whether a single opposition presidential ticket for the 2027 general elections should be zoned to the South.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the debate comes amid growing calls for opposition parties to form a coalition and present one candidate against President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking in an interview with Punch on the demand that the ticket should be zoned to the South, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party would prioritise electoral viability over zoning.
Abdullahi said the ADC had not taken any official position on zoning, adding that the party would support the candidate with the best chance of winning the election.
He said, “ADC never announced a position on zoning. This is why the current alliance is workable. We will identify and support the best candidate to win the election.”
His position suggests that the ADC may favour an open contest where political strength, popularity and strategic advantage are placed above regional power-sharing considerations.
NNPP Insists Zoning Remains Key
In contrast, the NNPP said zoning remained an important political factor even in any consensus arrangement.
The NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, said opposition leaders must balance national acceptability with broader political sensitivities.
He said, “A joint candidate does not mean we cannot retain zoning. What matters is having a candidate acceptable to Nigerians across the South and North of the divide.
“If we agree to work together, it means certain things need to be taken into consideration. Getting to beat Tinubu is the task before us at this material time.”
Johnson added that discussions on the proposed coalition were still at a preliminary stage.
“It’s just a proposal for now. Nothing is certain yet, but I am sure that consultation on this issue will continue.
“If a consensus candidate emerges, the party can still uphold zoning as long as it aligns with national unity. The consensus arrangement doesn’t necessarily override zoning principles,” he added.
SDP Says Decision Political
Similarly, the SDP said zoning remained a legitimate constitutional and political consideration, but noted that the final decision would depend on broader strategic calculations.
The National Chairman of the SDP, Shehu Gabam, said, “Zoning is about the collective decisions of political parties and is constitutional. National political interest takes centre stage after that. It’s purely a political party’s decision to zone or not to zone.”
Asked whether the SDP would formally join a coalition backing a single opposition candidate, Gabam declined to commit.
“It’s too early to tell,” he said.