2027: APC Chieftain Backs Southern Presidency, Calls for Fairness
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Poland, Adekunle Ayoola, has called on political parties, stakeholders and Nigerians to uphold fairness, equity and mutual respect as preparations gather pace for the 2027 general elections. In a statement on Tuesday, Ayoola said the presidency should remain in the Southern part of the country in 2027, arguing that this would sustain the existing political understanding on the rotation of power between the North and South. He acknowledged that rotational presidency is not a constitutional entitlement but described it as a political convention aimed at promoting balance, inclusion and a sense of belonging. Ayoola said the arrangement should not limit the constitutional rights of political parties to choose their candidates or prevent Nigerians from voting for candidates of their choice. Instead, he proposed that the six geopolitical zones, political parties, civil society organisations, traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders should engage in dialogue to reach a broadly accepted understanding on power sharing.
Ayoola proposed a sequence in which the South retains the presidency in 2027, followed by the North in the next cycle, while the South-East should receive serious consideration when power subsequently returns to the South. He stressed that the proposal was not about entitlement or exclusion, but about creating a political framework that gives every region confidence that its aspirations would be respected. According to him, no region should be permanently excluded from discussions on national leadership, while political parties must remain free to nominate candidates from any part of the country. The APC chieftain urged politicians and other stakeholders to prioritise dialogue, consensus and national unity ahead of the elections, saying Nigeria’s interests should come before those of individuals, regions or political parties. He called for a political culture founded on fairness, inclusion and mutual respect, stressing that stakeholders should focus on building bridges rather than deepening divisions as the country approaches 2027.
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