The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has said that the presidency should remain in the South until 2031.
Akume made the statement on Tuesday at an interactive forum in Kaduna, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation. The session brought together a cross-section of political leaders, traditional rulers, civil society representatives and technocrats from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory to evaluate the state of governance under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Speaking against the backdrop of growing political agitation and speculations ahead of the 2027 general election, the SGF appealed to the northern elite to honour the existing power-sharing understanding, which supports alternating the presidency between the North and South.
“By the design of rotational presidency, the North—my region—will be eligible to seek the presidency in 2031, not in 2027,” Akume declared. “Nigeria will not cease to exist if the South retains power. We need patience to arrive at our turn.”
He recalled the foundation laid by key political figures at the inception of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999, citing the late Chief Solomon Lar, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Abubakar Rimi, Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, and others as champions of power rotation to foster unity and equity.
“Their vision was clear: to ensure national cohesion and stability, power must rotate. That wisdom paid off. It brought balance, reduced tension, and ensured our country remained united,” Akume said.
He urged the northern political class to remain calm and throw its weight behind President Tinubu’s administration, noting that leadership must be built on trust, equity and continuity, not desperation.
Akume’s remarks come amid speculation that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso—both northern contenders in the 2023 presidential race—may run again in 2027.
The SGF insisted that national interest must take precedence over personal ambition.
“We must walk this path with faith and renewed hope in our shared future. Let us deepen our democracy through understanding, not rivalry,” he added.
The forum, themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government-Citizen Engagement for National Unity,” served as a mid-term review platform for Tinubu’s presidency, which began on May 29, 2023.