The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Poland, Adekunle Ayoola, has urged political parties, stakeholders and Nigerians to promote fairness, equity and mutual respect as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Ayoola said the presidency should remain in the Southern part of Nigeria in 2027. He argued that this would help preserve the political understanding surrounding the rotation of power between the Northern and Southern regions.
According to him, although rotational presidency is not a constitutional right guaranteed to any particular region, it has become a political convention aimed at promoting balance, inclusion and a sense of belonging.
“As we approach 2027, my position is clear: the presidency should remain in the South for the 2027 presidential election, maintaining the existing political understanding of regional rotation,” Ayoola stated.
He stressed that power rotation should not undermine the constitutional freedom of political parties to select their candidates or the right of Nigerians to vote for whoever they choose.
“By ‘rotation,’ I do not mean that any region has an automatic constitutional entitlement to the presidency, nor that voters or political parties should be restricted in exercising their democratic choices,” he said.
Ayoola said the principle should instead be viewed as a political agreement reached through consultation among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and other key stakeholders.
He identified the North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East and South-South as regions that should participate in discussions on power sharing. He also called for the involvement of political parties, civil society groups, traditional rulers, community leaders and other national stakeholders.
“No region should be treated as an outsider or permanently excluded from the conversation,” he stressed.
Ayoola proposed that the political arrangement should favour the South in 2027, with the North taking its turn in the following cycle. He further suggested that the South-East should receive serious consideration when the presidency subsequently returns to the Southern region.
“2027 — South continues. Thereafter — North. Subsequently — South-East.”
He explained that the proposal would allow the South to retain the presidency in 2027 before the political understanding shifts to the North for the next rotation.
According to Ayoola, when power eventually returns to the South, the South-East should be given “serious and genuine consideration.” He noted, however, that the South-West and South-South would continue to have legitimate political aspirations in future electoral cycles.
The APC chieftain emphasised that rotational politics should encourage national consensus rather than limit Nigerians’ democratic choices.
“Political parties remain free to nominate candidates from any part of the country, Nigerians remain free to vote for the candidate of their choice, and no region possesses an automatic constitutional claim to the presidency,” he said.
He said the ultimate goal should be to create a fair, transparent and widely accepted political understanding that would reassure every part of Nigeria that its political aspirations would be respected.
“This is not about entitlement or exclusion. It is about fairness, inclusion, balance, and national cohesion,” he said.
As the 2027 elections approach, Ayoola called on politicians and other stakeholders to embrace dialogue, engagement and consensus instead of confrontation.
“We are once again on the political field. Let us engage rather than disengage, dialogue rather than divide, and seek consensus rather than confrontation. We should be building bridges, not burning them.”
He further urged political actors to place Nigeria’s interests above personal, regional and party considerations.
“Nigeria is bigger than any individual, region, or political party. Our responsibility is to build a political culture founded on fairness, inclusion, mutual respect, and national unity,” he stated.
