The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on Saturday ended its convention in Abuja, zoning its Presidential ticket to South for a single four-year term with frontline Presidential aspirant, Mr Peter Obi, saying time to rescue Nigeria has come and all hands must be on deck to achieve this in 2027.
Addressing delegates at the first National Convention of his party, the former Anambra State Governor said: “Our choice as a people is therefore clear: whether to surrender to despair and national decline, or to summon the courage to rescue our country and rebuild it on the foundations of unity, equity, justice, competence, and productivity.
“Where we are now, national unity is no longer optional; it is a national necessity. We must rise above ethnicity, religion, region, and political divisions to recover the soul of our nation.
“Let us be clear. No tribe can prosper alone. No religion can develop Nigeria in isolation. No region can achieve comparative greatness while other regions are left behind. Our diversity must become our strength, not a weapon of division in the hands of desperate politicians.”
Also speaking at the convention, the former Presidential candidate of New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 and former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, said zoning to the South is necessary as “this represents a true opportunity for real national healing.”
Obi, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party remarked that “with unity and effective leadership, Nigeria can become a productive and prosperous nation once again. We must deliberately support agriculture and manufacturing so they become the highest contributors to our Gross Domestic Product. Special strategic attention must be given to unlocking the enormous agricultural potential of Northern Nigeria and connecting it to industrial production across the federation. We must move decisively from a nation of consumption to a nation of production.”
Obi said that the country “can no longer afford policies that foreclose our youths,” adding that it’s only “competent, compassionate, and transformative leadership that can defeat insecurity, reduce corruption, create jobs, tame inflation, improve education, pull people out of poverty, and restore hope to millions of Nigerians.
“Our youths must no longer be viewed as problems to manage but as assets to empower. Our women must no longer be neglected but included as equal partners in nation-building. Persons with disabilities must find space to live in normalcy.”
Obi told the convention delegates: “The task before us is difficult, but it is not impossible. Our challenges are not insurmountable. Nations have recovered from worse situations when courageous people chose sacrifice over silence and patriotism over personal gain. Nigeria too can rise again.”
Obi expressed regret that, in our country today, “the most painful aspect of our political existence is that many who once benefited from democratic governance have now become willing accessories to the destruction of democracy itself. Those who once fought for justice now openly celebrate electoral injustice. Those who once spoke against impunity now defend coercion, manipulation, intimidation, and outright political gangsterism, especially against opposition voices.
“What we are witnessing is not politics; it is a systematic assault on democracy and the will of the people. Nigeria today stands at a dangerous crossroads. Our democracy is under severe threat. Our nation is drifting without direction, and our people are passing through immense suffering. Across the world, Nigeria is increasingly described as a failing and disgraced nation. This is not the destiny God ordained for our great country.”
Across virtually every recognised indicator of good governance—accountability, political stability, rule of law, control of corruption, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, and the separation of powers—Nigeria continues to record alarming failures. The institutions that should protect the people are weakening daily, while the burden on ordinary citizens grows heavier with each passing moment.
“Today, over 140 million Nigerians live in multidimensional poverty. Tens of millions of young people remain unemployed or underemployed. Inflation continues to crush families. Businesses are shutting down. Farmers can no longer safely access their farms. Communities live in fear. In this month alone, hundreds of innocent souls were aimlessly lost.”
Speaking at the party’s convention, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who backed the decision of the Nigeria party to zone its 2027 Presidential ticket to the South, said the move aligned with the party’s established power-sharing arrangement.
Going down memory lane, Kwankwaso traced how alliances between North and South yielded productive results.
“Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads. The world is undergoing a profound geopolitical shift, yet our nation has been caught unprepared, largely because of poor leadership. Instead of positioning Nigeria to seize emerging opportunities, bad governance has left us bearing the brunt of global changes.”
“We are witnessing a sharp decline in the quality of life. Insecurity has created widows and orphans across the land. Millions have been displaced from their homes. Investments are fleeing, critical infrastructure is neglected, the education system is collapsing, and harsh economic policies have been imposed on citizens without meaningful safety nets or relief.
“Yet Nigeria’s history teaches us that in our most challenging moments, visionary alliances have provided the way forward. In 1954, a historic partnership was formed between the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), led by Aminu Kano and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), led by Nnamdi Azikiwe to achieve national unity.
“Again, in 1960, against steep odds, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) formed a coalition with the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) to birth our independence.
“In the Second Republic, the alliance between Shehu Shagari and Alex Ekwueme under the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) helped restore civilian rule and national unity after years of military dictatorship.
“It is therefore with great sense of unity and solidarity, that as a loyal party member, I support the decision to zone the presidential ticket of the NDC to the South, so that it allows the region to complete its turn in producing national leadership.
“This represents a true opportunity for true national healing. We shall work in abidance with the party’s agreement to ensure fairness and federal character in all ramifications,” he said.
He further urged Nigerians and party supporters to remain active in the NDC’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The high points of the convention were the zoning of the presidential position to the South and the confirmation and inauguration of party officers.
Afam Victor Ogene, the member representing Ogbaru Constituency of Anambra State in the 10th National Assembly moved the motion for zoning the Presidency to South, which was seconded by Seyi Sowunmi, another member and unanimously adopted by the delegates.
The convention also approved that after the single four-year term, the Presidential ticket will automatically be zoned to the North.
This decision has cleared the way for the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, who had earlier vowed to spend one term if elected.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the party, Senator Cleopas Moses Zuwoghe, reaffirmed the party’s commitment to democracy, constitutional governance, and national development during the ongoing convention.
Zuwoghe welcomed party leaders, delegates, and participants, describing the gathering as an important platform for dialogue, the exchange of ideas, and collective engagement toward strengthening democratic values in the country.
He stated that the party remains committed to justice, freedom, and service to the people, stressing that the NDC was founded on principles aimed at promoting equal opportunity and national progress.
According to him, the party will continue to support liberty, peace, and the welfare of the people while working toward unity and a better future for Nigerians.
Our correspondent reports that there was commotion at the convention venue in Abuja when a large number of people tried to secure entrance into the building, which many described as too small for such a gathering.
It took the efforts of security operatives to restore sanity before the proceedings could continue.
Obi and Kwankwaso defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and formally joined the NDC on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
They were officially registered as members of the party on Sunday at its national secretariat in Abuja, where they were issued membership cards.