Former lawmaker Shehu Sani says Nigeria’s 2027 presidential race should be contested by candidates from the incumbent’s South, including President Bola Tinubu and Peter Obi, along with other southern candidates, rather than by northern figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Sani makes the case that while rotating power between North and South is not written into the Constitution, it is “equitable.” In his remarks, he argues the South should complete its eight-year tenure before seeking a broader right to compete in the next cycle, which he links to 2031.
Both outlets report that Sani responds to criticism of Atiku’s decision to enter the 2027 race while the South has not yet finished its eight-year period. They note that Atiku has said the Constitution does not bar anyone from contesting the presidency at any time, and Sani’s position contrasts with that argument by emphasizing political fairness based on historical rotation expectations.
