Senior officials of the African Democratic Congress, a Nigerian opposition political party, have warned that zoning the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 general election could trigger a serious internal crisis.
Speaking separately with journalists on Thursday, 15 January 2026, the state chairmen advised the party’s National Working Committee to avoid arrangements that could divide members along regional lines. They said the ADC should instead organise an open and credible primary election that allows all qualified aspirants to compete fairly.
The chairmen explained that focusing on competence, public trust and the ability to win a national election would better serve the party than restricting the ticket to any part of the country. According to them, zoning could weaken the party in the same way internal disagreements affected the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2023 general election.
The Chairman of the ADC Chairmen Forum and Kogi State Chairman, Kingsley Ogga, alongside the forum’s Secretary and Edo State Chairman, Kennedy Odion, and the Adamawa State Chairman, Arabi Mustapha, said zoning could damage the party’s growing role as a rallying point for opposition groups.
They noted that the ADC is increasingly being seen as a platform for politicians seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 presidential race.
The warning comes as several well known Nigerian politicians have recently joined the party. Among them are former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, all of whom are widely believed to be interested in the presidency.
Within the party, discussions are ongoing about whether the presidential ticket should be reserved for the southern part of the country or left open to all regions. While some groups are strongly in favour of zoning, others argue that an unrestricted contest will strengthen unity and public confidence.
The state chairmen urged the party leadership to handle the disagreement carefully, stressing that unresolved internal conflicts could harm the ADC’s chances ahead of the 2027 elections. They said lessons from past elections show that division within a party can reduce its ability to compete effectively at the national level.