2027 Presidency: Tsoken Backs Akume on North-South Power Rotation
… QAPC-IGG Coordinator Says Southern Nigeria Should Complete Eight-Year Presidential Tenure
Oru Leonard
Ambassador Musa Muhammed Tsoken, National President of the APC Initiative for Good Governance (APC-IGG), has expressed support for the position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, that the rotation of presidential power between Northern and Southern Nigeria remains an important convention for national unity and political stability.
Tsoken, who also coordinates the Asiwaju Again Renewed Hope Support Initiative 2027, said the power-sharing arrangement had helped promote fairness, equity and a sense of belonging among Nigeria’s diverse political and regional interests since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
In a statement, Tsoken described Akume’s remarks, made while receiving a delegation of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba led by Supreme Knight Steve Adehi in Abuja, as a contribution to the ongoing discussion on power rotation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the arrangement reflected an understanding reached by political leaders in Kaduna in 1999 that the presidency should alternate between the North and South in eight-year cycles.
According to him, the understanding was intended to prevent regional domination, build mutual trust and strengthen national cohesion.
Tsoken argued that the South should be allowed to complete an eight-year presidential tenure following the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2023.
He noted that former President Muhammadu Buhari, who governed Nigeria from 2015 to 2023, had completed an eight-year tenure under the same arrangement.
The APC-IGG president maintained that, under the convention, the Southern region’s turn should continue until 2031, adding that any departure from the arrangement could raise concerns about fairness and political trust.
Although acknowledging that presidential rotation is not expressly provided for in the Nigerian Constitution, Tsoken described it as an established political convention that has influenced power-sharing arrangements within the country’s democratic system.
He called on political stakeholders, particularly those from Northern Nigeria, to consider the implications of the arrangement for national unity and democratic stability as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
Tsoken reaffirmed the commitment of the APC Initiative for Good Governance and the Asiwaju Again Renewed Hope Support Initiative 2027 to the principles of good governance and the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Tinubu administration.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation among the federal, state and local governments in addressing immediate economic challenges and pursuing sustainable national development.
According to him, effective collaboration across the three tiers of government remains necessary to deliver development outcomes and improve the welfare of Nigerians.
Tsoken commended Akume for drawing attention to the importance of political power rotation and urged political leaders to sustain dialogue on equity, inclusion and national cohesion.
He said maintaining mutual understanding among Nigeria’s regions was essential to strengthening democratic institutions and promoting peaceful political engagement.
He reiterated his organisations’ support for the Tinubu administration and called for continued commitment to national unity and good governance.
