A coalition of northern youth groups, under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee of Northern Youth Associations (JACON), has strongly opposed the Peoples Democratic Party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
Speaking in Kaduna, JACON’s Director of Media and Public Affairs, Ambassador Sanin Yaya, described the zoning arrangement as unjust, anti-democratic, and a betrayal of the North’s long-standing loyalty to the party. He argued that the decision unfairly excludes competent northern aspirants from the race and undermines principles of equity and national unity.
Yaya pointed out that between 1999 and 2015, the South governed the country for over 13 years under the PDP, while the North only held power for about two and a half years. According to him, returning the presidential ticket to the South in 2027 would amount to marginalizing the North and denying it its rightful share of leadership within the party.
The youth coalition further warned that the North would no longer serve as a political stronghold for a party that continually exploits its votes without offering equal representation. They threatened to mobilize against the PDP in 2027 if the zoning decision is not reversed.
JACON also announced plans to convene an emergency meeting with its member associations to chart a way forward, urging political, traditional, and religious leaders in the North to speak up against what they called a deliberate act of injustice. According to the group, the era of silent acceptance is over, and the North must now demand its fair place in the political equation.
