Dare Babalola
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has criticised the decision of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria for a single term.
The minister described the move as deceptive and politically desperate.
Keyamo, in a statement posted on his X handle on Monday, said the arrangement was an attempt to mislead Nigerians and compared it to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2011 pledge to serve only one full term.
“The decision of NDC to zone its Presidential ticket to the south for JUST ONE TERM (emphasis on ‘one term’) is an audacious attempt to hoodwink Nigerians. It reminds us of the undertaking by Jonathan in 2011 to serve just one full term and quit,” he wrote.
The minister questioned the credibility and enforceability of the party’s decision, particularly if Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, eventually emerges as the candidate and wins the election.
According to him, there would be no guarantee that such a candidate would remain bound by the party’s zoning arrangement after assuming office.
“So, what happens if Peter Obi changes his Party, assuming he wins, or as leader of the NDC he gets the NEC of the Party to reverse the decision, if in the unlikely event he wins?” Keyamo asked.
He further argued that the decision underestimated the intelligence of Nigerians and reflected the opposition’s growing uncertainty ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“This is an insult on the sensibilities of Nigerians; it smacks of outright desperation and actually accentuates the dilemma of the opposition as a whole in the 2027 Presidential elections.”
Keyamo dismissed the move entirely, insisting that it lacked seriousness and amounted to political fraud.
“It is just a joke taken too far; it is nothing but political 419.”
