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ABUJA, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — A former presidential aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has declared that Nigeria’s presidency will not shift back to the North in 2027. Okupe made the statement during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, rejecting calls for a Northern presidency in the upcoming election.
“I say this authoritatively without any fear of contradiction or equivocation, in 2027, power cannot return to the North yet. That’s not how we do it,” said Okupe, emphasizing the importance of power rotation between the North and South regions of Nigeria.
According to Okupe, Nigeria’s current political arrangement adheres to an informal agreement of power-sharing, with each region serving eight-year terms. “We rotate between the North and the South. The North does eight years, at the end of which the South does eight years,” he explained, underscoring that the next president should come from the South, regardless of whether current President Bola Tinubu runs for re-election.
Okupe criticized those advocating for a Northern presidency, attributing Nigeria’s stagnation to sectionalism. “Sectionalism is one of the most fundamental problems why Nigeria is stagnating,” he stated. “Those who control the affairs of this nation, in terms of politics before now, were more interested in national interest than sectional interest.”
His remarks come amid growing debate about the country’s political future as Nigeria prepares for the next electoral cycle. The idea of power rotation has long been a contentious issue, often shaping the political landscape and sparking discussions on regional representation in leadership.
While Okupe did not endorse any specific candidate for 2027, he was clear that a Northern presidency is off the table for the next election. “I’m not saying that Bola Tinubu must be president in 2027, but it’s not going to be a northerner,” he concluded.
