‘Why We Support Southern Presidential Candidacy In 2027’

Ahead of the 2027 election, some Middle Belt leaders have said they will support only a southern presidential candidate on the ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the interest of national balance, fairness and inclusion.

This resolution was reached at the Middle-Belt Cognac ABC Strategy Conference, also known as the COPDEN/ADC Middle-Belt Strategy Conference, held on Tuesday in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

The conference organised by the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEN) in collaboration with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had the theme: “Nigeria at Crossroads: Building the Green Coalition for 2027.”

The Coordinator of the group, Prince Pam Rwang, who read the communiqué, described the decision as a strategic move aimed at strengthening national cohesion ahead of the 2027 polls.

According to him, after extensive deliberations, participants unanimously agreed that Nigerian elections are won through broad-based coalitions rather than regional dominance.

They noted that the Middle Belt serves as a decisive electoral bridge between the North and the South.

“A major highlight of the conference was the strong emphasis on fairness and rotational leadership.

“Delegates observed that zoning and power rotation are already practised at state, local government and ward levels across the country, and should therefore be respected at the national presidential level.

“The Middle Belt will not seek to lead from the front,” the conference declared in a unanimous resolution, instead, the region resolved to position itself as a conscious, strategic and decisive political bloc that shapes national outcomes through alliances rather than sectional contestation.”

The communiqué stated that the presidential ticket of the ADC should be zoned to Southern Nigeria in line with Nigeria’s established culture of balance and inclusion.

Stakeholders stressed that Nigerians respond positively to political arrangements that promote justice, equity and a sense of belonging for all regions.

“Electability depends on national acceptability and deliberate demonstration of fairness. Leadership that unites regions builds legitimacy,” the conference noted.

The Middle Belt leaders further resolved to continue acting as a unifying force focused on fairness, inclusion and national unity, while prioritising coalition-building over running for the presidency themselves.

LEADERSHIP reports that the conference attracted political stakeholders, civil society actors and democratic reform advocates from across the Middle Belt region.