…Wants Power to Remain in the South Until 2031
…Claims Obi Can’t Win in the Region Despite 2023 Victories
By Abu Adamu
Former Borno State governor and top northern politician, Ali Modu Sheriff, has declared that the North should deny both Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi its votes in the 2027 presidential election, arguing that the region must honour Nigeria’s long-standing power-sharing arrangement by allowing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to complete a second term.
Sheriff, a chieftain of the APC, said Obi posed no political threat to Tinubu because, in his view, Northern voters would never support the former Anambra State governor, while Atiku should shelve his presidential ambition until 2031 because it was still the South’s turn to occupy the presidency.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Sheriff dismissed Obi’s chances of making electoral inroads in the North despite his strong showing in parts of the region during the 2023 presidential election.
“I am not worried about Peter Obi because I know Northerners will never vote for him,” Sheriff declared.
Although reminded that Obi secured significant votes in states such as Plateau and Nasarawa in 2023, Sheriff insisted the political climate had changed, alleging that many Northerners remained unhappy over Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State.
“The situation is different now. When Peter Obi was governor, he chased Northerners out of Anambra State,” Sheriff alleged.
He also claimed that supporters of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had warned against any political alliance between the former Kano governor and Obi.
“This is what people in Kano are telling Kwankwaso now. They say they have always supported him and will continue to do so if he contests for president, but they will not support him if he aligns with Peter Obi,” he said.
Turning to Atiku’s expected 2027 presidential bid on the platform of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Sheriff argued that the former vice president, despite being qualified for the office, should wait until 2031 in line with what he described as Nigeria’s unwritten power rotation principle.
He said the country’s political leadership agreed after the civil war to preserve national unity by alternating presidential power between the North and the South.
“After the civil war, our leaders agreed that Nigeria should not continue on the old path. There is an understanding about regional balance.
“For Atiku, this is not the North’s turn. He is a respected leader and eminently qualified, but he has to wait until 2031. President Buhari completed eight years in office, so it is now the South’s turn,” Sheriff said.
The APC stalwart also defended Tinubu’s handling of insecurity, maintaining that the security crisis predated the current administration and should not be used as the sole basis for judging the President’s performance.
According to him, initiatives such as the proposed establishment of state police demonstrate that the administration is taking practical steps to address the nation’s security challenges.
Sheriff expressed confidence that Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027, while stressing that the APC would continue to campaign vigorously rather than assume victory.
Meanwhile, Hyacinth Alia has assured President Tinubu that the APC would significantly increase its electoral performance in Benue State during the 2027 general election.
Speaking with State House correspondents after a meeting with the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Alia dismissed concerns over recent internal disagreements within the party, describing them as temporary.
“There have been some agitations from APC faithful after the primaries, but I believe they will calm down. Mr. President is a democrat who understands these processes. We worked together to build the APC, and I am confident we will remain one family,” he said.
The governor pledged that Benue would reward Tinubu with a much stronger electoral showing in 2027.
“As I won the election the first time, we are going to double the numbers for Mr. President, and the APC will continue to remain united in Benue State,” Alia said.
He also briefed the President on security developments in the state, saying the situation had improved considerably after months of violent attacks.
According to Alia, Tinubu sought updates on internally displaced persons, their return to their communities and measures being implemented to guarantee security for farmers during the current planting season.
He described the security situation as relatively calm and expressed optimism that lasting peace would continue to return to the state, while thanking the President for attending the Benue at 50 celebrations and supporting key development projects.