Keyamo slams NDC’s zoning and 4-year tenure decisions, calls it “Political 419”

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Festus Keyamo has strongly criticised the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over its recent decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the southern region and impose a single-term tenure for its candidate if elected.

The decision, announced over the weekend at the party’s maiden national convention, has continued to generate political reactions across the country.

In a statement issued on Monday, Keyamo described the arrangement as deceptive and politically manipulative, labelling it a “419 decision”.

“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 said.

The minister, a lawyer-turned-politician, questioned the enforceability of such a political commitment should the party’s candidate emerge victorious in the 2027 presidential election.

He specifically queried what would happen if figures such as Peter Obi were to win and later deviate from the arrangement.

Keyamo further argued that the NDC’s decision was an insult to the political intelligence of Nigerians, describing it as a reflection of desperation within the opposition ahead of the 2027 polls.

“It is just a joke taken too far; it is nothing but political 419,” he said.

The NDC’s zoning arrangement, according to analysts, has unsettled political camps within the ruling establishment, with analysts suggesting it may be aimed at consolidating support in the northern and southern regions concurrently to diminish the APC’s political bases.

Political observers also note that the decamping of prominent figures such as Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a political powerhouse from the north, to the NDC has further reshaped the emerging political dynamics ahead of the election.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political stakeholders are also closely monitoring the developments amid concerns over shifting voter alignments and how it would affect its fortunes in northern Nigeria as the 2027 general elections approach.