Former Borno State Governor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ali Modu Sheriff, has said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is unlikely to enjoy widespread support from the North in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the region believes power should remain in the South until 2031.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Sheriff argued that Nigeria’s long-standing principle of zoning and regional power rotation should be upheld, particularly after former President Muhammadu Buhari completed two terms in office.
According to him, the North has no justification for seeking the presidency in 2027, urging Atiku to defer any presidential ambition until 2031 when, he said, it would be the North’s turn to produce the president.
He said the power-sharing arrangement was adopted by Nigeria’s political leaders after the civil war to promote national unity, equity, and a sense of belonging among the country’s regions.
“After the civil war, our leaders agreed that there would no longer be this situation in Nigeria. There is a regional agreement. For Atiku, it’s not our time now. He is on his own because it is the turn of the South. Buhari just finished eight years.
“If Atiku wants to be president, he can wait. He is a leader in Northern Nigeria and is eminently qualified, but it is not our time now. He has to wait until 2031. That is the time for the North; for now, it is the South’s turn,” Sheriff said.
The APC stalwart also expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would win a second term in the 2027 presidential election, although he stressed that the ruling party would not take victory for granted and would campaign vigorously.
Sheriff further dismissed the presidential ambition of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, who is reportedly expected to contest the 2027 election under the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
He also claimed that Obi’s performance during his tenure as governor of Anambra State had weakened his chances of attracting significant support from Northern voters. According to Sheriff, some political stakeholders in the North have expressed reservations about aligning with the former Anambra governor.
