Former presidential aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, has asserted that the presidency will not return to the North in 2027, even if President Bola Tinubu does not secure a second term.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, Okupe addressed the ongoing debate about a possible Northern presidency in the next election, firmly rejecting the idea.
Okupe pointed to sectionalism as a major factor hindering Nigeria’s progress, emphasizing that previous leaders of the country focused on national interests rather than regional divisions. He stressed that this approach must continue in order to move the nation forward.
Okupe explained that Nigeria’s political system operates on a rotational basis, with the North holding power for eight years, followed by eight years for the South.
He made it clear that, regardless of whether Tinubu wins or not, the presidency will not return to the North in 2027.
While not specifically endorsing Tinubu for a second term, Okupe emphasized that the next president would not be from the North, reiterating that it is time for the South to take the lead.
He identified sectionalism as the “most fundamental problems why Nigeria is stagnating”, stressing that “those who control the affairs of this nation, in terms of politics before now, were more interested in national interest than sectional interest”.
He stated, “I say this authoritatively without any fear of contradiction or equivocation, in 2027, power cannot return to the North yet. That’s not how we do it.”
“We rotate between the North and the South. The North does eight years, at the end of which the South does eight years.
“I’m not saying that Bola Tinubu must be president in 2027, but it’s not going to be a northerner,” he explained.
