2027: Atiku Presidency Will End Power Rotation, Shehu Sani Says
Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said a victory by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2027 election would mark the end of Nigeria’s informal rotational presidency arrangement.
Sani made the assertion on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, while reiterating his position that the South should be allowed to complete an eight-year presidential tenure before power returns to the North.
The former lawmaker, however, acknowledged that Atiku has a constitutional right to contest the presidency, stressing that his position was based on political considerations surrounding the informal power-sharing arrangement.
“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 argued that political parties should field southern candidates in the 2027 presidential election and allow the region to compete for the presidency until 2031.
Sani specifically suggested that the ADC should field former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) should present Peter Obi and the Allied Peoples Movement (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, describing it instead as an informal political arrangement. He nevertheless argued that political parties and leaders should consider the principle in the interest of fairness, equity, justice and national stability.
He also rejected the argument that population or electoral strength should determine which part of the country retains political power.
“You cannot say that because you have the largest electorate and population, so you should continue dominating politics,” he said.
The former senator cited former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure between 2015 and 2023 as part of his argument, saying the South did not mount what he described as a serious challenge to Buhari’s presidency during that period.
Sani stressed that his position should not be interpreted as an attempt to prevent Atiku from participating in the 2027 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 about the implication of an Atiku victory, Sani said it would effectively end the informal practice of rotating the presidency between the North and South.
“If Atiku wins, it means that is the end of rotational presidency in Nigeria,” he said.
He further argued that allowing the South to complete an eight-year tenure would make a subsequent transfer of power to a northern candidate in 2031 less contentious.
“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 Nigeria. So, that is my own view,” Sani said.
