In a move to address their long-standing political marginalization, stakeholders and party leaders from the North-Central geopolitical zone have declared their collective ambition to produce Nigeria’s next president in the 2027 elections, after 65 years of exclusion from the country’s highest offices.
The coalition, which comprises representatives from the six states of the North-Central zone Benue, Kwara, Kogi, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory, has set a key condition for supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. They have demanded that Tinubu replace the current Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, with a running mate from the North-Central region, should he seek re-election.
The demand was made during a press conference held in Abuja on Thursday, where the political representatives voiced their frustration over the region’s political exclusion.
Prof. Nghargbu K’tso, the leader of the North-Central Renaissance Movement, addressed the press, highlighting the region’s long-standing political marginalization despite being home to Nigeria’s seat of power, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). K’tso pointed out that, since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the North-Central has never produced a President or Vice President, despite its significant contributions to the nation.
As Nigeria prepares to mark 65 years of independence on October 1, 2025, it will also mark 65 years of political exclusion for the North-Central zone, K’tso said, expressing the region’s frustration at being sidelined despite its strategic importance in national development.
The professor also noted that the region continues to grapple with severe issues such as insecurity, poverty, and loss of lives, making the need for political inclusion even more urgent.
In his remarks, K’tso referred to the historical context of Nigeria’s political leadership since the return to democracy in 1999, emphasizing that the North-Central, along with the South-East, has never held either of the highest offices in the land. While the South-East had a Vice President in Dr. Alex Ekwueme from 1979 to 1983, the North-Central has had no such representation.
“Since the return to democracy in 1999, the North-Central has not had the privilege of holding the office of President or Vice President, even though the region has made significant sacrifices,” K’tso said. “This must change.”
While the coalition acknowledged the South-East’s ongoing political challenges, they pointed out that the North-Central’s exclusion is even more profound, given the region’s central position in Nigeria and its substantial role in the country’s development.
The coalition is now demanding that the Presidency be ceded to the North-Central region in the 2027 elections, citing fairness, equity, and justice as the foundation for their request.
“If the ruling APC offers President Tinubu the right of first refusal for the 2027 election ticket, we demand that his running mate must come from the North-Central region,” K’tso insisted. “He must drop Vice President Shettima and select a candidate from the North-Central. If other political parties are committed to fairness, they too should feature presidential candidates from the North-Central zone.”
The North-Central coalition’s demand underscores the region’s determination to secure a fair stake in Nigeria’s political future, with the hope that the 2027 elections will mark a turning point in addressing decades of exclusion from the country’s highest offices.
