Shehu Sani Warns Atiku's Potential Victory Could End Rotational Presidency in Nigeria

In a recent interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani expressed grave concerns about the implications of a potential victory for Atiku Abubakar in the upcoming 2027 presidential election. Sani warned that such an outcome could signal the end of the informal rotational presidency arrangement that has been a cornerstone of Nigeria's political landscape, aimed at ensuring equitable power sharing between the northern and southern regions.

“If Atiku wins, it means that is the end of rotational presidency in Nigeria, and there is going to be hard and bitter feelings from the southern part of Nigeria,” Sani stated. He highlighted the existing tensions within the political system, suggesting that a continued northern presidency could exacerbate existing crises and lead to further division among the populace. “I don’t think anyone will like to preside over a country full of hate, animosity, and conflict,” he added.

Sani's remarks have reignited discussions about the need for political parties to field southern candidates in the 2027 elections. He argued that allowing a southern candidate to serve a full eight-year term would foster national unity and mitigate potential backlash from the southern regions. “If we allow the South to have their eight years, by 2031, a northerner takes over, there will be no challenge from southern Nigeria,” he explained.

While acknowledging Atiku's constitutional right to contest, Sani emphasized the importance of adhering to the rotational presidency practice that has governed Nigerian politics for years. “I never said Atiku should not run. Constitutionally, he has a right to run for any election, but what I said was that a southern part of Nigeria should be allowed to have its eight-year tenure in office, just like the way the North has from 2015 to 2023,” he concluded. As the political landscape evolves, the call for unity and fair representation continues to resonate among Nigeria's diverse populace.