2027: It Will Be Easier To Market A Southern Presidential Candidate Than A Northerner – Rotimi Amaechi

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

Immediate past Minister of Transportation under late President Mohammadu Buhari’s administration, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, has insisted that the nomination of a Northern Candidate by the emerging opposition Coalition platform, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, when overwhelming Nigerians  believe that the Presidency should still be domiciled in the South, will be a hard-sell in 2027.

This is as he maintained that he will support whoever emerges as the party’s Presidential Candidate irrespective of the region of origin.

His position however, contrasts sharply with that of  Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s, former Governor of Kaduna State who, Monday, February 9, 2026,  insisted  that the ADC is not contemplating zoning as an option in the count down to its Presidential primaries.

But speaking in Kano, Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers state, noted that  much as the ADC and its stalwarts are pursuing for an all inclusive primary arrangement, strategic planning demands that the party considers the subsisting informal power sharing formula between the South and the North.

According to him, the ADC, as a party, should weigh all necessary options in its quest to enhance national acceptance, and serve as a veritable alternative for the suffering masses of Nigeria.

“I will support whoever emerges as the Presidential candidate, just like other stalwarts of the party have pledged.

“But I, also, want to advise the party to look around and identify the best material that can persuade Nigerians that there are concrete plans to turn things around.

In this regard, there are  three critical variables that should be considered in the choice of picking a presidential flag bearer. The first is capacity, second is age, and the third is the need to respect the unwritten

law on power sharing in the country which presently favours the Southern part of the country.

“Respecting this subsisting informal power sharing formula which still favours the Southern region will potentially be an advantage to the quest by the ADC to serve as an alternative to the people.

“When the region concludes its circle of the power sharing arrangements, then the pendulum will seamlessly shift to the North”, Amaechi said.

He, however, expressed the fears that acting otherwise, by way of fielding a Northern presidential candidate will weaken and undermine the ADC in the South.

“I am not saying that we, fromthe Southern divide of the Country, will not join the campaign train should a presidential candidate emerge from the North.

“However, my point is that it will be difficult to convince the south to give up power when it has not yet completed its tenure. Such a development could lead to serious problems for the party in the South, and ultimately negatively affect its electoral fortunes”, he noted.

This is as he nevertheless reaffirmed his loyalty and unflinching commitment to the unity and progress of the nascent opposition coalition platform and its quest to wrest power from the All Progressive Congress APC at the centre come 2027.

“Well, for the records, I will support whoever emerges as the ADC Presidential candidate at the primaries. Whether he/she is from the Southern or Northern part of Nigeria is immaterial” Amaechi assured.

The Source further reports that Amaechi, former Vice president Atiku Abubakar ,and Peter Obi, former Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, have so far, signaled their intentions to contest for the ADC Presidential ticket.

While Obi,  Amaechi and Nwajiuba are from the Southern part of the country, Atiku is from the North.