Let the Rotation Between North and South Continue Says Babangida Aliyu 

Let the Rotation Between North and South Continue says Babangida Aliyu

 

Ahead of the 2027 Presidential ElectionPresidential Election, the former Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, has weighed in on the national debate over Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, stating that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be allowed to complete a second term in the spirit of the country’s power rotation agreement.

According to a report by The Cable News on Friday, August 1, 2025, Aliyu emphasized that Nigeria’s political stability depends largely on maintaining the gentleman’s agreement between the North and the South.

Aliyu, who served as governor from 2007 to 2015, explained that since the return to democratic rule in 1999, Nigeria has followed an informal zoning arrangement that alternates presidential power between the North and the South, typically for two four-year terms.

He noted that this unwritten rule has played a crucial role in sustaining national unity, reducing political tension, and promoting a sense of fairness among Nigeria’s diverse regions.

“If a northerner says he’s serving one term, what problem is he creating for the north?” Aliyu asked pointedly, referencing hypothetical scenarios where the North might prematurely claim the right to the presidency in 2027. “The tradition is that each region should be allowed to serve two terms before power rotates. This is not just politics it’s about national cohesion.”

Aliyu recalled that in 2010, the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a northerner, disrupted this rhythm. His successor, then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan from the South, completed Yar’Adua’s term and subsequently won the 2011 election.

While some northerners saw this as a breach of the rotation agreement, Aliyu argued that the circumstance was exceptional and not a justification to abandon the broader principle.

He also pointed out that President Muhammadu Buhari, who represented the North under the All Progressives Congress (APC), served two full terms from 2015 to 2023. Following Buhari, President Tinubu from the South West assumed office, and Aliyu insists that Tinubu must be allowed to complete his two terms if Nigeria wants to keep faith with the established rotation model.

“The idea that a southern president must be replaced after one term just for another region to take over is not only unfair but also dangerous,” Aliyu warned. “It sends a message that some regions are more entitled to power than others. That’s not sustainable in a diverse country like Nigeria.”

While recognizing the hardship and economic difficulties currently facing the nation under the Tinubu administration, Aliyu stressed that leadership change should not be driven solely by frustrations but by respect for institutional balance and long-term national interest.

“If the South is shortchanged now, what moral ground will the North stand on in the future when it’s its turn to complete two terms?” he asked.

Aliyu’s comments come amid rising political tensions as Nigeria edges closer to the 2027 general elections. With multiple opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi, exploring possible candidacies, debates about zoning, equity, and performance have become central themes.

Despite not holding elective office currently, Aliyu remains a significant voice within the northern political establishment. His comments are seen as an effort to steer political discourse towards national harmony and away from sectional ambition.

Political analysts believe Aliyu’s position may not sit well with northern politicians who are eager to reclaim the presidency, but many acknowledge the logic behind maintaining a full-term rotational system. Some warn that disrupting this balance could trigger renewed regional agitation and deepen the political divide in an already fragmented polity.

Aliyu concluded by urging Nigerians to focus on building institutions and democratic norms that transcend individual dissatisfaction with current leadership.

“Our democracy must mature beyond impulsive decisions. Let’s uphold what has worked, while demanding accountability and better governance,”

So a clueless government should continue in office even if that’s against the wishes of voters, just so we can maintain an ethnic-based turn-by-turn system for the benefit of an indolent political elite? And yet when they’re mentioning democratic countries in the world, you still want your name to be included, even though you can’t eat your cake and still have it with you. I’m sure everyone can see the futility of what we’re practicing and why it can’t bring us genuine development no matter how it is rationalised. What’s even more disappointing is seeing our political elite frequently looking for lame excuses to defend what’s essentially a stupid idea in humanity’s most advanced era. Look, some countries have already proved that you can have visionary and focused leadership without democracy (China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, etc). These countries now boast of infrastructure, institutions and living standards which rival those in the established democracies. So any country still unprepared for democracy has other viable development models it can still follow. What’s not an option is to cuddle a feudal system which imposes undeserving politicians in public office, while leaving the country and its citizens in perpetual backwardness.