Saraki: Presidency Must Remain In South

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Bukola Saraki has insisted that presidency should remain in the south. As such, the former Senate President said he has decided not to run for the nation’s highest office in 2027, urge other aspirants from the Northern part of the country to shelve such plan.

Saraki is from Kwara state, North Central Nigeria.

The former governor made the remark on Wednesday, saying any presidential candidate from the north is not likely to get the support of the south in next year’s presidential election.

Checks by the magazine indicate that some politicians from the region are already gearing up to challenge incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the election, one of them, Atiku Abubakar Atiku of the African Democratic Congress, ADC. Other political parties in the country have also indicate their intention to field presidential candidates form the north, to challenge the current office holder, Tinubu.

Abubakar, a former vice president contested against President Tinubu in 2023 and lost. Sources say he’s among those favoured to secure the ADC presidential ticket for next year’s election.

Supporters of the former vice president have argued that candidates from any part of the country should be allowed to contest the presidential election, no matter where what part of the country they come from.

For instance, Dele Momodu, a prominent journalist and close associate of the former number two man in the country, said what mattered to the ADC now is who among the candidates can defeat President Tinubu, saying where such candidate comes from is unnecessary.  He insists that Abubakar has what it takes to end President Tinubu second run in office as the nation’s Commander-in-chief.

But those opposing this view said such action  will negate the unwritten power sharing arrangement between the North and south.

According to the former Senate President, who had earlier been touted as one of the potential presidential aspirants, he has made up his mind not to run for the Presidency, saying this is in line with his belief that the south should be allowed to run two terms in the Presidency, based on the gentleman zoing arrangement between the North and South.

Saraki: “I’m not contesting in 2027 because I believe that it’s only fair that the South came in 2023 and let them finish in 2027.

“So when it comes to 2031, God sparing our lives and giving us good health, it’s North as opposed to anything that gives anybody an excuse that in 2031 those from the North want to contest, those from the South want to contest.

“In 2027, I’m not going to contest because we will not get the sympathy of those in the South; they have four years and there’s another four, let them finish and go.”

Meanwhile, his party, PDP says it will field a candidate for the upcoming presidential election, without saying which part of the country will be favoured.

The National Leader of the party and FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike made the remark on Sunday while speaking during the National Convention of the party in Abuja, the nation’s capital.