Leaders from Nigeria’s Middle Belt, alongside members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Labour Party Nigeria (LP), are pushing for the presidency to remain in the South in the 2027 elections.
At a strategy meeting held in Jos, the Middle Belt leaders made it clear that they are not interested in fielding a presidential candidate. Instead, they said they would support a Southern candidate in the interest of fairness, balance, and national unity.
The meeting, organised by the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM) in collaboration with the ADC, focused on how to position the region politically ahead of 2027.
Speaking after the meeting, the group’s coordinator, Prince Pam Rwang, said the decision was deliberate. According to him, the Middle Belt sees itself as a key deciding force in Nigerian elections and would rather build alliances than push its own candidate.
He noted that power rotation is already practised at state and local levels across the country, adding that the same principle should apply at the national level.
“The Middle Belt will not seek to lead from the front,” he said, stressing that the region would instead play a strategic role in determining the outcome of the election.
The group also advised the ADC to zone its presidential ticket to the South, arguing that Nigerians are more likely to support arrangements that promote fairness and inclusion.
The position of the Middle Belt leaders aligns with that of the Labour Party. Its acting national chairperson, Nenadi Usman, has already confirmed that the party’s 2027 presidential ticket has been zoned to the South.
“We have taken a clear decision. We will not accept any aspirant from the North. The ticket is for the South,” she said.
However, she made it clear that the party would not handpick a candidate, adding that whoever emerges will come through a democratic primary process.
Usman also revealed that a recent court case challenging the party’s caretaker leadership had been dismissed, giving the current leadership more stability going forward.
She hinted that the party may adjust the dates for its upcoming congresses due to a surge in membership, noting that sticking to the original schedule could leave many new members out.
On security, she confirmed that the party had reported an attack on its office to the police and expressed confidence that those responsible would be brought to justice.
With both the Middle Belt bloc and the Labour Party now aligned on zoning the presidency to the South, the conversation around the 2027 elections is already beginning to take shape and it’s clear that power rotation will once again be at the centre of it.
