A former Kaduna Central senator, Shehu Sani, has said that a victory for African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election would mark the end of Nigeria’s informal rotational presidency arrangement.
Sani made the remarks on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, arguing that the South should be allowed to complete an eight-year presidential tenure before power returns to the North.
The former lawmaker acknowledged that Atiku has a constitutional right to contest the election but argued that political considerations should also be taken into account in determining the direction of the 2027 presidential contest.
“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 candidates, including Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi, should be allowed to contest the election alongside other aspirants from the region.
Sani suggested that the ADC should field former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, while the NDC should present Obi and the APM should field Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
“Let the South struggle it out and see who wins, and for four years. And 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 argued that political parties and leaders should consider the arrangement in the interest of equity, fairness and national stability.
“There are things that 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 argued that the arrangement should not be determined solely by population or electoral strength, noting that former President Muhammadu Buhari served two terms between 2015 and 2023 without, in his view, a serious challenge from the South.
Sani also stressed that his position was not intended to prevent Atiku from contesting the election.
“The Constitution has not stopped him from contesting the election. He can contest the election, but for me, that is my position and I’m not backing down on it,” he said.
Asked what an Atiku victory would mean for the rotational presidency arrangement, Sani said it would effectively bring the arrangement to an end.
“If Atiku wins, it means that is the end of rotational presidency in Nigeria,” he said, adding that such an outcome could generate resentment in parts of the South.
Sani maintained that allowing the South to complete an eight-year tenure would make it easier for a northern candidate to succeed President Bola Tinubu in 2031 without facing resistance from the South.
“But if we allow the South to have their eight-year term, by 2031, a Northerner takes over, there will be no challenge from Southern part of Nigeria,” he said.
