BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against giving its 2027 presidential ticket to a Northern politician, insisting that the South should produce Nigeria’s next president.

Kwankwaso made the position known on Sunday while speaking with journalists at his residence in Kano, where he argued that the North should allow the South to complete what he described as its expected eight-year turn in the presidency before seeking the position again.

The former Kano State governor, who is running alongside NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, maintained that presenting another Northern candidate in 2027 would undermine the principle of fairness and equity in the country's political arrangement.

He specifically warned that the ADC could damage its chances in the forthcoming election if it ignores the demand for power to remain in the South.

“ADC will lose if it gives ticket to North. It's the turn of the South in 2027. ADC should not give its presidential ticket to the North. North should wait till 2031,” Kwankwaso declared.

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He urged the opposition party to consider zoning its presidential ticket to a Southern candidate, arguing that such a decision would reflect the desire for fairness and balance among Nigerians.

Kwankwaso's remarks come amid growing political discussions over zoning, power rotation and the choice of presidential candidates by opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

His intervention is particularly significant given his Northern background and his decision to serve as the running mate to Obi, a Southern politician, on the NDC platform.

The former governor's position also places renewed attention on the emerging political calculations within the opposition, as parties weigh regional considerations, political alliances and their presidential ambitions ahead of the next election.