As reported by the Nigerian Tribune, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, the former Governor of Niger State, has advised Northern politicians to refrain from running against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
He warned that such actions would violate the gentleman’s agreement regarding power rotation between the North and South.
Aliyu stressed that opposing Tinubu’s bid for a second term could lead to political instability in the region and harm national unity.
In an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Thursday, he voiced his concerns about the increasing number of Northern presidential candidates, especially those from the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
He warned that their ambitions could jeopardize the North’s credibility and disrupt the political equilibrium in the country.
“I have heard many of the presidential aspirants (in ADC) already saying they will serve one term,” Aliyu remarked.
“If a person from the North claims they are serving just one term, what issue does that create for the Northern region?”
He emphasized that the South should receive the same political respect that the North was afforded during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s two-term presidency.
Aliyu stated that maintaining this balance is crucial for fostering unity in the nation.
“If we could endure Muhammadu Buhari for eight years, then let’s consider it… perhaps by 2031, we can abandon this arrangement if it suits us,” he remarked, implying that discussions about ending the power rotation agreement might be more suitable after Tinubu’s expected eight years in office.
Aliyu also predicted significant political changes after 2027, indicating that the current defections at both legislative and gubernatorial levels are merely the beginning.
He suggested that a larger wave of political realignments could transform Nigeria’s political landscape in the coming years, particularly as the country reevaluates its current power-sharing agreements.
