AKUME URGES NORTHERNERS TO BACK TINUBU IN 2027, SAYS PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION SHOULD WAIT UNTIL 2031

By NaijaParrot | October 24, 2026

 Kaduna, Nigeria | Politics 

 Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has called on people from northern Nigeria to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, arguing that the region should postpone its own presidential ambition until 2031. 

 Akume made the appeal on Saturday while addressing indigenes of Benue State living in Kaduna, ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign flag-off in the state capital. 

 The former Benue State governor argued that northern political leaders should prioritise what he described as the region’s collective interests instead of pursuing individual ambitions that could create divisions ahead of the next general election.

Akume maintained that Tinubu should be allowed to complete a potential second term before northern politicians seek to produce another president. He referred to the principle of power rotation between northern and southern Nigeria, arguing that the arrangement was intended to promote political stability and national unity. 

 According to the SGF, northern politicians contesting against Tinubu in 2027 risk undermining the region’s political interests. He urged residents and political stakeholders from the North to remain united and resist attempts to divide the region along political, religious or personal lines. 

 also stressed that political ambitions should not take precedence over what he described as the broader interests of the region and the country. 

 Although Akume’s appeal was directed at northern political leaders generally, his remarks carry significance for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who is among the prominent northern politicians associated with the opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election. 

Atiku contested the 2023 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and has since emerged as a leading figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Akume’s position is that northern politicians should defer their presidential ambitions until 2031 to allow Tinubu, a southerner, the opportunity to serve a potential second term. 

 The argument reflects an ongoing debate within Nigerian politics over zoning, power rotation and whether political parties should maintain an informal understanding about the presidency alternating between the North and South. 

 However, power rotation remains a political convention rather than a constitutional requirement determining which region must produce the president in a particular election. 

Akume warned that divisions arising from political, religious and personal differences could weaken the North’s ability to pursue its shared interests. He encouraged northern communities to maintain peaceful relations with other regions and support cooperation among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic and religious groups. 

 The SGF also argued that the country’s development depends on national cohesion and the willingness of political leaders to place broader public interests above individual ambitions. His comments came as the APC prepared to intensify its campaign activities ahead of the 2027 general election. 

 Akume’s appeal has added to the continuing debate over which region should produce Nigeria’s president after the 2027 election. Supporters of power rotation argue that it can promote inclusion, political stability and a sense of fairness among the country’s major regions. 

 Others maintain that presidential candidates should be assessed through their policies, leadership records and ability to secure support under the constitutional electoral process. Akume’s remarks reflect the APC-aligned position that Tinubu should be supported for a second term before northern politicians pursue the presidency in 2031. 

 The final decision on candidates and electoral choices, however, will depend on political parties, their nomination processes and Nigerian voters. 

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