Advocacy Group Demands Southern Presidency and Immediate Resignation of INEC Chairman Before 2027

Advocacy group PETOOP demands the ADC zone its 2027 ticket to the South and calls for the immediate resignation of INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 20, 2026, 9:55 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from THISDAYLIVE

The Push for Southern Political Alignment

A prominent political advocacy group, Peter Obi Our President, has issued a series of directives aimed at altering the strategic landscape of the 2027 general elections. During a press briefing in Jos, National Convener Magnus Oraka argued that the African Democratic Congress must zone its presidential ticket to the South to remain competitive. Oraka contended that fielding a Northern candidate would inevitably fragment the opposition vote in the North, effectively clearing a path for the All Progressives Congress to secure an uncontested victory. He characterized the failure to prioritize a Southern candidate as a strategic gift to the current administration.

Challenging Atiku Abubakar’s Presidential Claim

The group sharply criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his recent assertions that the North maintains a rightful claim to the presidency in the next cycle. Oraka dismissed these comments, presenting a historical analysis of Nigerian leadership tenures since independence in 1960. According to PETOOP’s data, Northern leaders have held executive power for a longer cumulative duration across both military and civilian regimes. The group argued that the South possesses a stronger moral and democratic claim to the 2027 rotation, describing Atiku’s continued political ambitions as a distraction to national cohesion.

Allegations of Bias Against the Electoral Umpire

A significant portion of the briefing was dedicated to a demand for the immediate resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan. The advocacy group accused the chairman of compromising the neutrality of the commission through direct interference in internal party affairs. Specifically, Oraka cited the commission’s refusal to recognize Senator David Mark as the legitimate leader of the ADC as evidence of blatant institutional bias. The group maintains that the chairman has overstepped his constitutional boundaries, rendering the prospect of a fair election under his leadership impossible.