2027: APC chieftain seeks fairness, inclusivity, backs Southern presidency

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Poland, Adekunle Ayoola, has called on political parties, stakeholders and voters to uphold the principle of fairness, equity and mutual respect as preparations begin for the 2027 general elections.

Ayoola, in a statement on Tuesday, said the presidency should remain in the Southern part of the country in 2027, arguing that doing so would sustain the existing political understanding on the rotation of power between the North and South.

He maintained that rotational presidency may not be a constitutional entitlement for any region, but it is a political convention designed to promote balance, inclusion and a sense of belonging among Nigerians. “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 said rotation should not be interpreted as a restriction on the constitutional rights of political parties to nominate candidates or the freedom of Nigerians to vote for candidates of their choice. “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.

According to him, the idea of rotation should instead serve as a negotiated political understanding among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and other relevant stakeholders.

He listed the North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-West, South-East and South-South as participants that should be involved in discussions on power sharing, alongside political parties, civil society organisations, traditional and 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 understanding should favour the South in 2027, followed by the North in the subsequent cycle and, thereafter, the South-East when power returns to the South.

He explained, “2027 — South continues. Thereafter — North. Subsequently — South-East.” Ayoola said the proposal would mean that after the 2027 Southern turn, the political understanding would favour the North for the next rotation.

He added that when the opportunity subsequently returned to the South, the South-East should be given “serious and genuine consideration,” while the South-West and South-South would retain their legitimate aspirations for subsequent political cycles.

Ayoola emphasised that rotational politics should be used to build consensus rather than restrict democratic choice. “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 argued that the objective should be to establish a fair, transparent and broadly accepted political understanding capable of giving all parts of the country confidence that their aspirations would be respected.

“This is not about entitlement or exclusion. It is about fairness, inclusion, balance, and national cohesion,” he said.

Calling for constructive political engagement ahead of the 2027 elections, Ayoola urged politicians and other stakeholders to prioritise dialogue and consensus. He added, “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.”

Ayoola maintained that the interests of Nigeria should take precedence over those of individuals, regions and political parties. “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.