2027 Presidency: Akume Urges North to Respect Power Rotation as The Analyst Calls for National Unity
......The SGF says the South should complete eight years in power, but The Analyst Online Media’s investigation finds that constitutional provisions, democratic competition and Nigeria’s unity must remain central to the debate.
ABUJA, Nigeria — Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged northern politicians to respect Nigeria’s established political understanding on power rotation and allow the South to complete eight years in the presidency before seeking to reclaim the office in 2027.
Akume’s position has intensified the debate over presidential succession ahead of the 2027 general election, raising fundamental questions about political agreements, constitutional provisions, regional representation and the responsibility of political leaders to protect Nigeria’s unity.
The SGF made the remarks on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the Order of the Knights of St Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, led by its Supreme Knight, Sir Steve Adehi.
According to a statement issued by the Office of the SGF and signed by its Head of Information and Public Relations, Chris Ugwuegbulam, Akume recalled the political understanding reached by governors-elect of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political leaders in Kaduna in 1999.
He said the arrangement provided for the presidency to alternate between the North and South in eight-year cycles, beginning with the South, to promote fairness, mutual trust, national inclusion and political stability.
Akume argued that the arrangement should not be treated as a temporary political convenience, insisting that the South should be allowed to complete its current eight-year presidential cycle following the eight years served by former President Muhammadu Buhari between 2015 and 2023.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who assumed office in May 2023, is seeking re-election in 2027. If re-elected, he would complete two four-year terms in 2031.
The SGF’s position is that the North should wait until 2031 before seeking to reclaim the presidency under the North-South power-rotation understanding.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTION: WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY?
An investigation by The Analyst Online Media into the constitutional dimension of the debate finds an important distinction between Nigeria’s supreme law and the political convention governing regional power-sharing.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, does not expressly require the presidency to rotate between the North and South, nor does it prohibit a qualified presidential aspirant from a particular region from contesting an election because another region currently occupies the office.
Section 131 sets out the constitutional qualifications for election as President, including Nigerian citizenship by birth, attainment of the age of 40, membership of a political party with sponsorship by that party, and the prescribed educational qualification.
Section 137 specifies circumstances in which a person is disqualified from election to the presidency. It does not establish a North-South zoning arrangement as a constitutional qualification or disqualification.
Consequently, power rotation remains a political convention rather than an express constitutional requirement. Its influence is principally exercised through political-party arrangements, negotiations, internal zoning policies and understandings among political stakeholders.
This distinction does not automatically make the convention irrelevant. Political agreements can play an important role in building confidence among Nigeria’s diverse communities, particularly in a country where historical grievances, unequal access to political power and perceptions of exclusion can threaten national cohesion.
However, such arrangements should not be presented as provisions expressly contained in the Constitution when they are not.
The Constitution’s supremacy under Section 1 also means that political agreements cannot override constitutional provisions.
NATIONAL UNITY MUST BE GREATER THAN PERSONAL AND REGIONAL AMBITION
The Analyst Online Media’s investigation finds that the most important question in the 2027 presidential debate should not be which region must produce the next President at all costs, but how political actors can protect the unity, stability and democratic future of Nigeria.
Section 14(3) of the Constitution provides for the composition of the Federal Government and its agencies to reflect Nigeria’s federal character, promoting national unity and loyalty while ensuring that no few states or ethnic or sectional groups dominate the government.
Section 14(4) similarly addresses the composition of state governments and their agencies, with the objective of recognising the diversity of the people under their jurisdiction and promoting a sense of belonging.
The Preamble to the Constitution also affirms the determination of Nigerians to live together in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation.
These provisions establish a broader constitutional vision: Nigeria belongs to all its citizens, irrespective of region, ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.
Against this background, The Analyst Online Media believes that the principle of power rotation deserves serious consideration as a possible instrument for promoting inclusion and mutual trust. Nevertheless, it must be approached in a manner that strengthens, rather than undermines, democratic institutions and national unity.
No individual’s ambition, political party’s electoral calculation or region’s desire for power should be elevated above Nigeria’s collective interest.
Equally, national unity should not be used as a slogan to silence legitimate political disagreements, suppress constitutional rights or discourage peaceful participation in democratic competition.
The challenge before Nigeria’s political leaders is to reconcile legitimate political aspirations with the broader responsibility of keeping the country united.
A CONVENTION THAT REQUIRES POLITICAL CONSENSUS
The debate surrounding the alleged 1999 Kaduna understanding also raises questions about the scope, interpretation and consistent application of power rotation.
Although the arrangement has influenced political negotiations over the years, disagreements remain over its status, enforceability and application across political parties and election cycles.
The Analyst Online Media notes that any argument for respecting the arrangement should be supported by a clear explanation of its political basis, the stakeholders bound by it and the consequences of disregarding it.
Political leaders advocating zoning should explain how the convention can promote fairness without being confused with a constitutional restriction on who may contest an election.
Similarly, politicians opposed to zoning should recognise that constitutional eligibility alone does not resolve every question of political trust, regional inclusion or the need to maintain a sense of belonging among Nigeria’s constituent communities.
A candidate may be constitutionally qualified to contest an election while still facing legitimate political questions about the implications of that candidacy for party agreements, regional balance and national cohesion.
Ultimately, the Constitution protects the democratic framework, while political consensus can help sustain the trust required for that framework to function effectively.
THE NORTH AND SOUTH MUST PUT NIGERIA FIRST
Akume’s intervention comes at a time when political parties and presidential aspirants are positioning themselves for the 2027 general election.
His appeal to northern politicians reflects the argument that allowing the South to complete eight years under Tinubu would preserve the spirit of the power-sharing understanding and potentially strengthen confidence in future rotations.
Nevertheless, the debate should not degenerate into hostility between the North and South or create the impression that either region possesses a superior claim to Nigeria.
Both regions have made significant contributions to the country’s political, economic, social and cultural development. Neither should be treated as an outsider in the Nigerian project.
The country’s constitutional framework recognises one Nigerian federation, not competing regional sovereignties.
Political leaders must therefore exercise restraint in their rhetoric, avoid divisive mobilisation and demonstrate that their commitment to national unity extends beyond election campaigns.
For the North, the South and every other constituency, the central question should be whether political decisions strengthen the federation, improve citizens’ welfare and sustain confidence in democratic governance.
THE ANALYST’S POSITION
The Analyst Online Media’s investigation concludes that Nigeria must distinguish between constitutional rights and political conventions without dismissing the legitimate national interest behind either.
Respecting power rotation may help reinforce political trust, but the arrangement must not be misrepresented as an express provision of the 1999 Constitution. Equally, the absence of an explicit constitutional rotation clause does not prevent political parties and leaders from voluntarily adopting zoning arrangements to promote inclusion and stability.
The 2027 election should be an opportunity for Nigerians to deepen democratic accountability, assess candidates on their records and programmes, and demand credible solutions to insecurity, poverty, unemployment, inflation, inadequate public services and other pressing national challenges.
Regional balance is important, but it cannot substitute for competence, integrity, accountability and the capacity to govern in the interest of all Nigerians.
Nigeria must come before personal ambition, political party, ethnicity, religion and regional interest.
The North deserves inclusion. The South deserves inclusion. Every Nigerian deserves a country in which citizenship, constitutional rights and equal dignity matter more than the accident of birthplace.
The ultimate objective should not simply be to determine which region produces the next President, but to ensure that whoever emerges through the constitutional democratic process governs for the benefit of the entire federation.
As preparations for 2027 gather momentum, political leaders must remember that electoral victories are temporary, but the responsibility to preserve Nigeria’s unity is permanent.
THE ANALYST ONLINE MEDIA
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