Amid renewed debate over zoning and the possible return of power to the North in 2027, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Sani, has said it would be more strategic for the North to support former President, Goodluck Jonathan than the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Speaking on Daily Politics, a programme on Trust TV, on Saturday, Sani argued that Jonathan’s candidacy would better serve the North’s interests because his constitutional term limit guarantees he can only serve one term.
Sani, who served as media aide to former Vice President Namadi Sambo, said supporting Jonathan would complete the South’s eight-year tenure and pave the way for the North to return to power in 2031.
He said, “I will prefer that President Jonathan takes the ticket, not because I do not like Obi, but because that will ensure that the South will have completed their four years.
“By law, Jonathan cannot exceed one term. So, if he returns, it will be for a single four-year term, unlike Obi, whose promise of one term is not legally binding.”
According to Sani, the North would be more confident in Jonathan’s legal limit than in Obi’s verbal pledge to serve only one term.
He said, “Between somebody making a promise and somebody who is compelled by law that he must leave, which one will you take?
“Jonathan has to go after four years. This one [Obi] is making a promise. A promise can be kept and may not be kept either way.”
He further stated, that while Obi’s integrity is not in doubt, political realities demand certainty.
Sani said, “On this one [Jonathan], you are sure that it must be kept. So for the North, I think Goodluck Jonathan is the best choice.”
Sani’s comments come amid speculation that the PDP is seeking to bring Obi, who left the party ahead of the 2023 elections, back into its fold for a possible joint ticket.
But the former presidential aide warned that if the North agrees to support another Southern candidate in 2027, it must be under the understanding that such a tenure ends in 2031, aligning with the power rotation narrative.
“It’s about equity and fairness. Buhari, a northerner, did eight years. The South should complete their eight, and then the North takes over again. That’s the basis of stability,” Sani said.
Peter Obi, who placed third in the 2023 presidential election, has not hidden his intention to re-contest in 2027. He has promised to serve only one term if elected.