The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has urged northern opposition leaders to drop their 2027 presidential bids. He argued that President Bola Tinubu should be allowed to complete a second term. He said this would maintain the North-South power-rotation principle. He spoke to a delegation of the Knights of St Mulumba. Chris Ugwuegbulam issued a statement on the meeting.
Nigeria’s power rotation is informal but powerful. Since 1999, the presidency has alternated between North and South. Olusegun Obasanjo, a southerner, served from 1999 to 2007. Umaru Yar’Adua, a northerner, served from 2007 to 2010. Goodluck Jonathan, a southerner, completed the term and served until 2015. Muhammadu Buhari, a northerner, served from 2015 to 2023. Tinubu, a southerner, took office in 2023. The convention suggests the South should serve two terms. Northern aspirants challenge that logic.
Akume said the North had its turn under Buhari. He argued that fairness requires the South to complete eight years. He urged Atiku Abubakar and other northern aspirants to withdraw. He said their candidacies could destabilise the rotation. His statement aligns with the APC’s position. The party wants Tinubu re-elected. The opposition wants a single candidate. The G-100 coalition is working to select one. Atiku, Obi, Duke and Adebayo are under consideration. Akume’s intervention targets northern elites. It also targets the voting public. The rotation argument resonates in the South. It divides the North.
The statement drew criticism. Critics said Akume is speaking for the President, not the nation. They said rotation is not constitutional. They said competence should matter more than zoning. Supporters said rotation preserves unity. The debate will continue until the election.
Winners: Tinubu, who gains support for a second term. The APC, which gains a narrative. Southern elites, who gain reassurance. Losers: Atiku and other northern aspirants, who face pressure. The G-100, whose unity talks are complicated. Northern voters, who are told to wait. Critics who see the argument as self-serving. The opposition, which faces a divided North.
Bottom Line: Akume wants northern aspirants out. He says the South must finish eight years. The rotation argument is old. It still works. The North may not accept it. The 2027 election will test whether zoning beats ambition. It usually does.