As discussions intensify regarding the 2027 general elections, Minister of Art, Culture, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, has stated that the presidency should remain in Southern Nigeria for the upcoming term.
Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ on Friday, Ms Musawa emphasised that this continuity would ensure essential equity and balance within the nation’s informal power-sharing arrangement.
Nigeria operates an unwritten agreement where the presidency rotates between the northern and southern regions of the country.
Current President Bola Tinubu, who hails from the South-West, succeeded former President Muhammadu Buhari from the North-West.
Amidst debates and the emergence of new political alliances, such as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, Ms Musawa argued that fairness dictates the South should retain the top office.
“So, it is understandable that after eight years of President Buhari, who is from the North, power needed to shift down to the South, right? So now, you know how it is—for the next two years, four years, it is going to be with the southern presidency, and hopefully, power should continue for the next four years after that to be with the southern presidency only to create that sort of balance,” the minister stated.
Ms Musawa, who’s from the northern region, expressed hope that ‘one day we’ll be able to get over that, and candidates will only be judged on their capacity and what they have to bring to the table.’
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However, she added, ‘but since we are not there yet, for the benefit of this politics now, power should certainly, for the next four to six years, remain in the southern part of the country.’
She maintained that upholding this power-sharing deal is vital for Nigeria’s stability and to foster a sense of inclusion among all segments of the population.
“Because we’ve not gotten over that, I think every part of Nigeria, or rather the different— the north and the south—have to feel as if they’re being carried along.”
Her comments come after actor-turned-politician Kenneth Okonkwo, a member of the opposition ADC, advised his party on Tuesday to consider a Northerner as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Speaking on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today,’ Okonkwo suggested that fielding a southern flagbearer could guarantee Mr Tinubu a return ticket, given the new coalition’s membership of top politicians.
“My strategy this time around is that I am going to support a northerner in 2027,” Mr Okonkwo said.
He added that such a candidate must be qualified, possess experience, and garner support from the entire North, complemented by a strong Southern running mate.
The debate over zoning gained significant traction ahead of the 2023 elections. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s leading opposition, ultimately nominated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, a Northerner, as its presidential candidate.
Conversely, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) zoned its ticket to the South, leading to the emergence of Mr Tinubu.
The PDP’s decision caused internal dissent, most notably from former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who argued it was the South’s turn to produce a president.
Mr Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, supported Mr Tinubu’s presidential bid and continues to advocate that the South must complete an eight-year term for the sake of equity.
