- the ADC has fallen into the same dilemma that affected the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 elections
- He argued that APC weakened this balance by fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023
- The ADC spokesperson also stressed that zoning goes beyond geography and includes religious balance
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected claims by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, that the party is avoiding zoning its presidential ticket out of fear.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Keyamo, in a post shared on 𝕏 (formerly Twitter), alleged that the ADC was reluctant to clearly zone its presidential slot because the party was allegedly under the influence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
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According to the minister, the ADC has fallen into the same dilemma that affected the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the 2023 elections.
Responding in a statement, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the allegation as misleading and historically inaccurate, insisting that Keyamo had no moral grounds to lecture the party on zoning.
Abdullahi recalled several instances where the All Progressives Congress (APC), Keyamo’s party, allegedly ignored zoning arrangements, including the emergence of its presidential candidate in 2014, the contest for the Senate presidency in 2015, and the adoption of a same-faith presidential ticket in 2023.
He explained that after the 2015 general election, the APC leadership initially agreed to zone the position of Senate President to the North Central. However, according to him, the plan was later altered when it appeared that Bukola Saraki was likely to emerge.
Abdullahi stated that leaders of the then ACN bloc reportedly argued that zoning was a PDP tradition and incompatible with progressive politics, a position that eventually paved the way for Ahmed Lawan from the North East to be backed.
He further noted that the APC’s presidential primaries in both 2015 and 2023 were largely open contests, with aspirants from different regions participating, regardless of zoning considerations. He added that in 2027, the party appears to have simply aligned with incumbency rather than any regional formula.
The ADC spokesperson also stressed that zoning goes beyond geography and includes religious balance, which he described as critical to Nigeria’s fragile unity. He argued that APC weakened this balance by fielding a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2023.
According to Abdullahi, the ruling party’s decisions on zoning and balance have consistently been driven by political convenience rather than principles, adding that any future adjustment would likely follow the same pattern.
He maintained that the ADC remains committed to internal democracy and would not be swayed by what he described as politically motivated criticism.
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