…We Will Support Whoever Emerges As ADC Candidate-Amaechi
By Yinka Giwa
Consensus is building for Nigeria’s South to retain the presidency in 2027, as key opposition figures, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party’s Datti Baba-Ahmed, declared their support for a Southern presidential candidate to complete the region’s rightful eight-year tenure.
In separate events in Abuja and Port Harcourt, opposition leaders emphasized the importance of upholding Nigeria’s unwritten power rotation principle, insisting that the South should not be shortchanged midway. However, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, refrained from zoning arguments, instead committing to support whoever emerges from a transparent African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary.
At the PDP Consultative Conference in Abuja, elder statesman and party founding father, Prof. Jerry Gana, led the charge, urging the PDP leadership to ensure its 2027 presidential ticket is zoned to the South.
“For justice, fairness, and equity, our 2027 presidential candidate must come from the Southern part of Nigeria. This strategy will not only guarantee electoral victory but will also strengthen national unity,” Gana said.
He further emphasized that the PDP’s 2027 candidate must be a credible, competent, and experienced leader with a clear vision to rescue Nigeria from its deepening socio-economic crises.
“We must conduct a transparent, fair process that presents a visionary leader—tested, trusted, and capable of solving Nigeria’s myriad challenges,” Gana insisted.
He called for deliberate inclusion of youth and women in the party’s leadership and candidate selection processes, stressing that their energy, digital fluency, and innovative ideas are indispensable for national rebuilding.
Gana also urged the PDP to convene a transparent National Convention to elect a new set of party officers. “No more backroom deals or impositions. Delegates must freely elect men and women of integrity, competence, and loyalty to PDP’s ideals,” he declared.
On his part, Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, reiterated his stance that Nigeria’s South should produce the president in 2027. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Baba-Ahmed said the power rotation principle demands that the South completes its two-term cycle before power can shift back to the North.
“I’m of the opinion that the South should produce the president. It is a matter of fairness and political stability,” Baba-Ahmed stated.
He threw his weight behind former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, noting that Obi is welcome to contest in 2027 under the Labour Party or through a broader opposition coalition such as the ADC.
“This is not an anti-party activity. What we are seeing is an unfolding situation where parties, interest groups, and patriotic Nigerians are coming together. Coalitions are about unity of purpose,” Baba-Ahmed explained.
He stressed that Nigeria needs leaders who can deliver on promises, not individuals who offer empty rhetoric. “We want capacity. We want compassion. We want people who will develop Nigeria, not those who promise governance and deliver disaster,” he said.
Clarifying his participation in coalition meetings, Baba-Ahmed described himself as a peacemaker, working to reconcile aggrieved Labour Party members and foster unity among opposition forces. “Labour Party is not a party to abandon. I am a positive catalyst in these coalition talks aimed at rescuing Nigeria,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, speaking in Port Harcourt, expressed confidence in the ADC’s presidential primary process. While refraining from endorsing any zoning arrangement, Amaechi pledged full support for whoever emerges as the ADC’s presidential candidate through a transparent, free, and fair primary.
“The moment anybody emerges from the primary, all of us will support that person. That’s the agreement. We insist on a transparent process,” Amaechi said.
Amaechi criticized the APC-led government for the worsening economic hardship, urging Rivers State indigenes to register with the ADC and prepare to vote out the ruling party in 2027.
“Every Rivers man who thinks good of this state and country should register with the ADC and ensure that we remove this current government and stop the hunger everybody is suffering from,” he stated.
The ADC has emerged as a platform for opposition figures seeking to mount a united front against President Bola Tinubu’s anticipated re-election bid. High-profile politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, are reported to be aligning under this coalition framework.
As political realignments continue to take shape, the battle for Nigeria’s 2027 presidency is already unfolding with zoning, internal democracy, and credible leadership at the centre of opposition strategies.