2027: Atiku’s Victory Will End Power Rotation — Sani

Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said an Atiku Abubakar victory in the 2027 presidential election could mark the end of Nigeria’s informal power-sharing arrangement between the North and South.

Sani made the remark on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, while maintaining that the South should be allowed to complete an eight-year presidential tenure before power returns to the North.

The former lawmaker said Atiku, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, has a constitutional right to contest the election but argued that political considerations around power rotation should be taken into account.

“I never said Atiku should not run. Constitutionally, he has the right to run for any election. But what I said was that the southern part of Nigeria should be allowed to have its eight-year tenure in office, just like the way the North has from 2015 to 2023,” Sani said.

He said southern politicians should be allowed to compete for the presidency in 2027, arguing that power should remain in the South until 2031.

“All the parties; like the ADC now, they’re supposed to field Amaechi. That is what’s supposed to be. The NDC should field Peter Obi, and the APM should field Makinde. Let the South struggle it out and see who wins, and for four years. When the tenure is done by 2031, the North shall have its unchallengeable opportunity to produce leadership of the country,” he said.

Sani acknowledged that rotational presidency is not provided for in the Nigerian Constitution but said political actors should consider the arrangement in the interest of fairness, equity and national unity.

“It’s very important because we should look at our history where we come from. Some things are not written in our constitution, but in the interest of justice, fairness, equity, and peace, we need to consider all these things here,” he said.

He also argued that political power should not be dominated by one section of the country based on population or electoral strength.

Sani cited former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure between 2015 and 2023, saying the South did not mount a serious challenge to his administration during that period.

“Buhari had his eight years in office; there is no serious challenge from the southern part of Nigeria to his government. And despite all that President Tinubu has faced from 2015 to 2023, he never thought of raising any challenge to Buhari’s presidency.

“So, I think it’s going to be fair to this country and to our political system that when the South has its eight years, the North should have its eight years,” he said.

Sani stressed that his position did not prevent Atiku from contesting the 2027 election.

“About Atiku, the Constitution has not stopped him from contesting the election. He can contest the election, that is my position, and I’m not backing down on it,” he said.

Asked about the implication of an Atiku victory, Sani said it would signal the end of the informal arrangement of rotating the presidency between the North and South.

“If Atiku wins, it means that is the end of rotational presidency in Nigeria. And there is going to be hard and bitter feelings from the Southwestern part of Nigeria or the Southern part of Nigeria.

“I don’t think anyone would like to preside over a country full of hate, animosity, and conflict,” he said.

He added that Nigeria’s political system was already dealing with several crises and argued that a northern president succeeding President Bola Tinubu in 2027 could face opposition in the South.

“Right now, the political system is managing a lot of crises. And I don’t think a Northerner taking over power here will come in with ease and convenience to the people in the Southern part of Nigeria,” Sani said.