Key points
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Northern youths reject PDP’s zoning of 2027 ticket to South.
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Group says the North carried PDP but lost leadership.
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Youths vow to resist exclusion with political action.
The Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations has rejected the Peoples Democratic Party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
The group described the move as unjust, undemocratic, and a betrayal of the North’s long-standing loyalty to the party.
Speaking at a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, JACON warned that the decision amounted to political marginalization and could have “grave consequences” for the PDP in the coming elections.
North says it carried party burden
The youth group said the North has been the foundation of PDP’s electoral victories since 1999, yet has had little share of leadership.
They pointed out that under PDP governments, the South held the presidency for more than thirteen years, while the North only held it for two and a half.
“It is an undeniable historical fact that the North was shortchanged during PDP’s 16 years in power,” the statement said.
“To now zone the ticket back to the South in 2027 is a deliberate attempt to permanently sideline the region.”
JACON argued that fairness demands the party return its ticket to the North so the region can complete its share of leadership.
Group vows political response
The youth body said the North cannot continue to provide votes for the PDP without enjoying leadership opportunities. It warned that if the “injustice” is not corrected, it would mobilize its structures to respond at the polls.
JACON announced plans to convene an emergency meeting of its affiliates to map out a strategy against the zoning decision.
It also called on political, traditional, and religious leaders from the North to resist what it described as exclusion from power.
“The time for silent acquiescence is over,” the statement declared. The press conference text was signed by Ambassador Sanin Yaya, JACON’s Director of Media and Public Affairs.
