Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones, namely Southeast, Southsouth, Southwest, Northwest, Northcentral and Northeast. The country’s 36 states are non-uniformly divided amongst the geopolitical zones as follows:
North Central
Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, and Plateau State, and the Federal Capital Territory.
North East
Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe State.
North West
Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara State.
South East
Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo State.
South South (also known as Niger Delta region)
Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers State.
South West
Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo State.
Ahead of the commencement of political campaigns in September, Brief analyses the major presidential candidates and their running mates’ areas of influence based on the six geopolitical zones.
Labour Party (LP)
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, is a two-time governor of the southeastern state, Anambra State. On the other hand, the vice-presidential candidate Datti Baba-Ahmed, is a former senator of Kaduna North and also a former Representative for Zaria Federal Constituency, Kaduna State.
- With the partnership of the duo, the Labour Party can boast of solid popularity in the Southeast and an average publicity in the Northwest.
- Although elections are not won solely on the popularity of political parties, the Labour Party would be looking to gain more popularity in the northern region of the country and in the southwest.
All Progressive Party (APC)
The presidential candidate of Nigeria’s ruling party, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is a two-time governor of Lagos State, while his running mate Kashim Shettima is a former governor of Borno State. Again, Bola Tinubu is the National leader of the APC.
- On this basis, the APC can boast of major popularity in the southwest and other states which the ruling party occupies. Also, the party has a good stance in the northern region of the country.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
The presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was the Vice President of Nigeria under His excellency Olusegun Obasanjo. His running mate, Gov Ifeanyi Okowa, is the current governor of Delta State.
- The fusion of the duo gives the PDP a solid front in the northern region of the country and the South-South.
- Like Nigeria’s ruling party, PDP is popular in many parts of the country based on previous election successes.
New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)
The presidential candidate of the NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is a former governor of Kano state. The vice-presidential candidate Bishop Isaac Idahosa hails from Edo state.
- The party’s popularity relies on the leadership of its presidential candidate in the Northwest geopolitical zone.
What you should know
The popularity of a candidate or a political party does not guarantee victory in elections. Also, that a party is the ruling party in the country doesn’t guarantee victory in presidential elections as in the just concluded governorship election in Osun State and Nigeria’s presidential election in 2015.