ABUJA — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Diaspora Network, Middle-East and Asia (ADC-DN), has called on the party leadership to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, with a strong preference for the South-East geopolitical zone.

The group said the position was reached during its Executive Council meeting, stressing that zoning the ticket to the South would promote national unity, equity and justice.

In a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Anefu Ngbede Emmanuel, the network argued that since the current president is from the South, it is only fair and politically strategic for ADC to retain the ticket in the region.

According to the group, such a move would enhance the party’s chances of winning support across the South-East, South-South, and parts of the South-West.

“The decision to zone the presidential ticket to the South, particularly the South-East, will strengthen the party’s bargaining power and electoral prospects in the 2027 general elections,” the statement read.

The diaspora body further noted what it described as growing acceptance of ADC in the South-East, pointing to recent defections of members of the National Assembly from the region into the party.

It added that zoning to the South-East would consolidate this momentum and provide the party with a strong and dependable support base.

The group also maintained that allowing the South-East to produce the party’s presidential candidate would correct perceived political imbalances, noting that other regions in the South had previously produced presidents.

ADC-DN proposed that the South-East be given the opportunity to present a candidate either through a consensus arrangement or through a direct primary involving party members globally.

It emphasized the need for a credible candidate with proven character, competence, and compassion to lead the country.

“Nigeria needs a genuine leader who can lay a solid foundation for good governance and national transformation,” the group stated.

The network urged the leadership of ADC to act decisively in adopting zoning as a strategic tool for unity and electoral success.