2027: Atiku’s victory will end rotational presidency — Shehu Sani

A former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has said the victory of the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the 2027 election would mark the end of the informal rotational presidency arrangement in Nigeria.

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

The former lawmaker said Atiku had a constitutional right to contest the election but maintained that political considerations should also be taken into account in determining the direction of the 2027 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 candidates from the South, including the Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, should be allowed to contest the election, alongside other southern aspirants.

According to Sani, the ADC should field 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 was not provided for in the Nigerian Constitution but said 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 completed eight years in office between 2015 and 2023 without what he described as a serious challenge from the South.

Sani also said his position was not intended to prevent Atiku from contesting.

“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 arrangement, Sani said it would effectively bring it 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 eight years would make it easier for a northern candidate to succeed 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.