North Central demands 2027 presidency, warns parties against neglect

The agitation for Nigeria’s top leadership seat intensified over the weekend as the North-Central Renaissance Movement (NCRM) demanded that the presidency be ceded to the zone in 2027, warning that any political party that ignores the call will pay at the polls.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the group’s chairman and convener, Professor K’tso Nghargbu, said the zone, comprising Niger, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kwara States and the FCT-Abuja, has never produced an elected president or vice president since independence, despite its consistent contributions to national stability.

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“It is our duty and responsibility to state clearly that the North Central geopolitical zone seeks, requests, and demands that political parties cede their presidential ticket to our region. Patronising us means having our votes. Despising us means losing our votes,” Nghargbu declared.

The NCRM argued that the North-Central is uniquely positioned to heal Nigeria’s growing political divisions, especially the simmering tension between elites in the far North and their counterparts in the South.

Nghargbu pointed to notable leaders from the zone, including Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a stalwart of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), who has already signalled his intention to contest on the PDP platform, while hinting that other aspirants from the region are welcome to the race.

“The North-Central is blessed with enormous political resources and human capital. We are capable of addressing Nigeria’s leadership challenges and driving unity at this critical time,” he added.

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The coalition also threw its weight behind the push for independent candidacy in the Nigerian Constitution, describing it as a remedy for the dominance of “money drunk and godfather drunk” political parties.

“Independent candidature is one of the answers Nigeria needs. It checks the excesses of political parties that deny genuine aspirants a chance,” Nghargbu said.

With the 2027 general election approaching, the NCRM insists that giving the North-Central a shot at the Presidency is not only a matter of fairness, but also, a strategic move to foster peace, unity, and stability across Nigeria.