By John Ishku
Kaduna, Nigeria — September 26, 2026
Former lawmaker issues warning over zoning, dominance and “hate, animosity” concerns
A former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani, has warned that the informal principle of rotational presidency in Nigeria could be undermined if Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), wins the 2027 presidential election.
Sani made the warning during an interview on Friday, urging that political parties should consider fielding presidential candidates from Nigeria’s southern region in 2027 to preserve political balance and prevent what he described as renewed tensions between North and South.
“If Atiku wins, it signals the end of rotational presidency”
According to Sani, an Atiku victory would effectively collapse the political understanding that successive presidential tenures should rotate between the North and South.
“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. I don’t think anyone will like to preside over a country full of hate, animosity, and conflict. Right now, the political system is managing a lot of crises,” he said.
He further argued that a Northern political figure taking power again could face resistance from southern Nigerians who expect future presidential leadership to come from the South.
Sani argues South should retain “eight years” before another North-led tenure
Sani’s position was anchored on what he described as fairness and continuity in zoning arrangements. He said that if the South gets its turn, then a Northern leader would later take over without a comparable backlash.
“I don’t think a northerner taking over power here will come in with ease and conveniently to the people in the southern part of Nigeria. But if we allow the South to have their eight years, by 2031, a northerner takes over, there will be no challenge from southern Nigeria. That is my own view,” he said.
But Sani insists constitution still permits any northerner—or Atiku—to run
While Sani cautioned against an election outcome that could disrupt rotational presidency, he acknowledged that the Nigerian Constitution does not prohibit Atiku or any Northerner from contesting the presidency.
“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 said.
He argued that the expectation of zoning should be respected politically even if it is not legally enforceable.
Proposal: party zoning to give regions a clear path in 2027
Sani suggested that political parties should nominate candidates aligned with zoned expectations for the presidential race.
“The NDC should field Peter Obi, the APM should field Makinde, let the South struggle it out and see who wins for four years. And when the tenure is done by 2031, the North should have its unchallengeable opportunity to produce the leadership of the country,” he said.
He also criticized what he described as the argument that population size alone should guarantee continued political dominance.
“You cannot say that because you have the largest electorate and population, so you should continue dominating politics,” Sani said.
Rotational presidency: informal arrangement, not constitutional rule
Rotational presidency, Sani explained through the logic of zoning, remains an informal political arrangement, not a constitutional provision. Under the arrangement, major parties typically consider presidential candidates from both the northern and southern parts of Nigeria when zoning their tickets.
What to expect in the 2027 presidential election
With the 2027 presidential contest approaching, analysts expect the race to include major figures across multiple platforms, including:
- President Bola Tinubu (All Progressives Congress, APC)
- Atiku Abubakar (African Democratic Congress, ADC)
- Peter Obi (Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC)
- Omoyele Sowore (African Action Congress, AAC)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the presidential election for January 16, 2027.
Zoning debate intensifies ahead of 2027
As Nigeria moves toward the 2027 elections, Shehu Sani’s warning has reignited debate over zoning and political balance, with the former lawmaker arguing that while constitutional rights allow any eligible candidate to contest, the politics of rotation may determine whether national unity holds.
Whether parties will align with Sani’s southern-rotation call ahead of January 16, 2027 remains a key question as campaigns are expected to intensify in the months ahead.
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