By Kolawole Ojebisi
Former Edo State Governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion, has said he will support a presidential candidate of southern extraction in the 2027 general elections regardless of the politician’s political party.
Igbinedion, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stressed that his position was informed by his belief in equity and rotational leadership.
He made the declaration in Benin on Tuesday while addressing journalists shortly after leading a delegation of PDP leaders on a condolence visit to former Senate Chief Whip, Sir Rowland Owie.
“Come 2027, I will support a southerner for the presidency,” he stated. “After that, by 2031, the North can have its turn again. What matters most is national balance and credible leadership.” Igbinedion stated.
He also predicted that the dominance of the All Progressives Congress on the national political landscape will be short-lived, describing recent defections to the ruling party as fleeting and driven by opportunism.
Igbinedion dismissed concerns about the recent wave of defections, insisting that many of those who left the PDP would eventually return or align with a new political force in the future.
“I don’t worry so much about the defections because I know Nigerian politicians – they swing from one side to the other,” Igbinedion said. “If anything happens tomorrow, those who defected will return to the PDP or the party that holds sway at that time. There was a time when PDP had the highest number of governors in the country. It’s APC’s turn now, but their balloon will deflate soon.”
Igbinedion emphasised the cyclical nature of Nigerian politics and said he remained committed to the PDP, a party he has been with since 1998.
On the ongoing coalition talks spearheaded by key opposition figures ahead of the 2027 elections, Igbinedion stopped short of endorsing any particular alliance but reiterated his support for power to remain in the South.
