Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has criticised the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, over its decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South for a single four-year term, describing the move as a political gimmick.
Keyamo, in an interview with Vanguard on Sunday, said the zoning arrangement lacked credibility and could not be treated as a binding commitment to Nigerians. His comments followed the NDC’s national convention in Abuja, where the party formally zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria and reserved the vice-presidential slot for the North. The party also resolved that the presidency would return to the North in 2031.
“The decision of NDC is an insult on the sensibilities of Nigerians; it is nothing but political 419,” Keyamo said. He questioned what would happen if a southern candidate, such as former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, later changed party or influenced the NDC’s leadership to reverse the arrangement after winning power.
According to him, any zoning resolution made by a political party can be changed by the same party, making it unreliable as a guarantee to voters. The NDC’s decision has been widely interpreted as clearing the way for Obi and other southern aspirants to seek the party’s presidential ticket.
Keyamo also dismissed speculation around former President Goodluck Jonathan’s possible return to the presidential race, insisting that he is constitutionally barred from contesting. Jonathan first took office in 2010 after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, then won a full term in 2011 and served until 2015. The minister argued that Jonathan’s two oaths of office would likely become a major legal obstacle if he attempts to run again. He said the matter would probably end at the Supreme Court if the former president accepted any party’s ticket.
“Jonathan is not constitutionally eligible to run — it is as simple as that,” Keyamo said.
He also referenced the factional crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, arguing that any ticket offered to Jonathan by a disputed faction would carry additional legal risk.
Keyamo had earlier warned that opposition calculations around Jonathan and Obi could be risky, especially if parties failed to properly resolve zoning, eligibility and internal legal disputes before the 2027 election. His remarks add another layer to the growing debate over opposition strategy as parties and coalitions position themselves to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
