• Igbo torn between emotion and reason, declares Soludo
• Says those who couldn’t defeat Tinubu out of power won’t do so now
• Unites APGA, APC, PDP, Accord in Anambra for president’s re-election
• Akpabio: Akwa Ibom’ll deliver South-South’s highest votes to Tinubu
• Urges APC factions to unite

Deji Elumoye, Sunday Aborisade in Abuja, David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka and Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

The Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso; Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, and Personal Assistant to the President on Radio and Broadcast (Office of the Vice President), Hajya Rahma Abdulmajid, yesterday insisted that the South should retain power in 2027, warning against breaking the existing rotational arrangement between the North and the South.

While Kwankwaso warned former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) against disrupting the zoning arrangement, Yusuf and Abdulmajid argued that allowing the South to complete its eight-year tenure was necessary for national stability, reciprocity and peaceful coexistence.

Also yesterday, Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, said the Igbo were torn between emotion and reason ahead of the 2027 elections, urging them to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, while Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured that Akwa Ibom State would deliver the highest votes for the President in the South-South.

It’s Still Turn of South in 2027, Kwankwaso Warns Atiku, ADC

Kwankwaso has warned Atiku not to disrupt the zoning system by contesting, urging him to allow the system to continue by supporting Mr. Peter Obi to complete the remaining tenure belonging to the South.

Kwankwaso, who stated this during an interactive session with journalists at his residence in Kano, yesterday, also warned the ADC against causing confusion over the rotational presidency between the North and the South.

He said even though zoning was not enshrined in the constitution, common sense dictates that if one part of the country rules for two terms, the other region should be allowed to take over.

According to the former governor, fielding any candidate from the North would not help the country’s peaceful coexistence but will rather create confusion and disharmony among Nigerians.

“Atiku should not disrupt the system by contesting at this point in time. He should allow the system to continue by supporting Peter Obi to complete the remaining tenure belonging to the South.”

Kwankwaso recalled how he contested for president three consecutive times but decided to abandon his ambition to allow the Southern part of the country to produce Mr. Peter Obi.

“What is happening in the ADC will not help us. Some people want to create confusion by bringing a candidate from the North, knowing full well that it is still the turn of the South. After Obi presidency, it will return to the north.

“I sacrificed my ambition for Peter Obi because he is credible and from the South. We share common goals and ideology. We are strong and can manage the affairs of this country with ease,” he added.

The Kwankwasiyya leader stressed that for the Nigerian system to be balanced, Obi from the South should be given the opportunity to steer the affairs of the presidency.

Yusuf, Presidential Aide Insist on Power Rotation

Specifically, the Presidency justified the existing power rotation between the North and the South by urging the North to honour the current eight-year tenure being served by the South to completion, in the interest of reciprocity and national stability.

It said Nigeria’s national stability hangs by a slender thread, demanding that the North honour the unwritten power rotation pact and allow the South to complete its full eight-year tenure, warning that breaking this foundational trust could jeopardise the country’s unity.

Personal Assistant to the President on Radio and Broadcast (Office of the Vice President), Hajya Rahma Abdulmajid, stated this in Kano during the Grand Inauguration & Strategic Media Awards Ceremony of Matan Arewa 4 Tinubu Again (MATA).

According to her, Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement was not a sectional concession but a reciprocal compact that has stabilised the Fourth Republic.

In a veiled reference to Atiku, who she recalled attended and participated in the famous Kaduna meeting where the power rotation agreement was reached, Abdulmajid argued that the North cannot sacrifice the stability of Nigeria for the ambition of one man.

Tracing the origin to Kaduna, she noted that when military rule ended, patriots negotiated a framework for unity, maintaining that, “present in that room was Atiku Abubakar himself, as later confirmed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.

“Chief Sunday Awoniyi, the great Northern elder, stood up in 1998 and declared that the North should not field a candidate, in order to heal the wounds of June 12 and soothe the pain of the South.”

She further listed other patriots who shaped the understanding to include Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, speaking for the South; Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, speaking for the North; Dr. Alex Ekwueme, and Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.

Insisting on the power rotation arrangement, the Presidency said, “In 1999, when the guns of military rule finally fell silent, this nation did not just switch governments—we made a sacred promise. Our founding patriots gathered in Kaduna with one urgent, defining question echo-chambered in their minds: How do we keep Nigeria one?

“And from that sacred deliberation came a compact: not a sectional concession, but a reciprocal agreement. This gentleman’s agreement decreed that power must rotate between North and South every eight years—an arrangement to guarantee fairness, to ensure stability, and to guarantee that no Nigerian ever feels like a stranger in his own country.”

On how the arrangement worked, Abdulmajid said it survived because it was honoured.

“This is not fiction. This is our history. And how did it work? It worked because we honoured it. In 1999, we gave it to the South—Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, eight years, from 1999 to 2007. Then we gave it to the North: Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007. But death, a painful death, cut his tenure short in 2010.

“His vice, Goodluck Jonathan from the South, took over. The North felt cheated. The North said our turn was not complete, and that agitation was legitimate. What happened? In 2015, power returned to the North. The late former President Muhammadu Buhari, eight full years, 2015 to 2023! The sequence was restored! The principle survived,” she stated.

The Presidency contended that the agreement was a two-way street and the North has already taken its full benefit.

“My people, listen to me. The agreement is reciprocal; it is a two-way street. The North has already taken its full benefit after eight solid years under Buhari. You cannot eat your cake and still demand another man’s cake,” Abdulmajid said.

The presidential aide stressed that stability requires reciprocity, recalling that the current President, a Southerner, worked tirelessly for the late General Muhammadu Buhari to emerge victorious when the North demanded power must return after Jonathan’s tenure.

“That same logic applies today. You cannot abandon a principle when it becomes inconvenient. If you do, you tell the world that the agreement was never a principle at all—merely a temporary tactic. And if we destroy trust today, what will we use to negotiate tomorrow? Let us be honest. Much of this noise against the South completing its term is not a matter of principle. It is personal ambition,” she queried.

Attributing opposition to the South completing its term to personal ambition, Abdulmajid said, “Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar tells us zoning is “self-defeating.” But he participated in and benefited from zoned arrangements in 2015 and 2019 when they favored his ambition! When rotation opened the door for him, it was acceptable. When it stands in his way, it becomes “intellectually dishonest.”

“Shall we sacrifice Nigeria’s stability for one man’s ambition? The North’s genuine interest is not served by that; the North’s interest is stable inclusion. The guarantee that power will return to you only lives if we honour the compact today.”

The Presidency appealed to the North not to break the sacred promise that binds nation, urging the people of the region to rise together and complete the Southern tenure, describing it as not merely an election.

“This is for our honour. This is for reciprocity. This is for the enduring stability and peaceful coexistence of our great nation. That is exactly what the re-election of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term stands for. That is the future we build today,” it added.

Also speaking, Governor Yusuf corroborated Abdulmajid’s position, saying the unity of Nigeria could only be guaranteed by fair play and inclusivity.

The Governor who was represented by his Director-General of Media and Publicity, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, argued that reversing the existing rotational arrangement would paint the North in ignoble light, even as he urged the region to maintain the status quo by re-electing President Tinubu for a second term.

In his remarks, former Governor of Jigawa State and immediate past Minister of Defence, Mohammad Abubakar Badaru, said the Renewed Hope Administration of President Tinubu has benefited the North more than any other part of Nigeria.

Badaru listed major completed road projects to include the 88km Zuba-Jere section and the 81km Abuja-Kaduna section of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Highway commissioned in October 2026, the 77km Kaduna-Pambeguwa road, Yakasai-Badume-Damargu-Marken Zalli roads in Kano, and the Jimeta Bridge in Yola.

On social infrastructure, Badaru cited completed health facilities such as Gadon Kaya PHC in Kano, three Polio Emergency Centers in Katsina, Kano and Sokoto, pharmacy lab at ABUTH Zaria, 50-bed mental health center at UNIMAID, and infertility center at ATBUTH Bauchi, plus ongoing upgrades at Bichi General Hospital and deployment of 79 CNG ambulances.

Igbo Torn Between Emotion and Reason in 2027 Elections, Declares Soludo

Soludo has summarised the disposition of the Ndigbo ahead of the 2027 elections, saying they were torn between emotions and reason in the forthcoming presidential election, but advised that it was better to embrace reason than work on emotion.

Soludo was referring to the support being given by most Igbo people to Obi, who is from the region.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord Party, which he convened in Awka as the Anambra State Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Committee of APC, Soludo insisted that those who couldn’t win Tinubu when he was not in power should not expect to win him now that he was in charge.

Speaking at the well-attended meeting which had members of the four political parties in attendance, Soludo insisted that there would be consequences for not supporting Tinubu if he won reelection next year.

He said: “This is a grand coalition for the progress, prosperity, security, and welfare of Nigeria and of course, Anambra. This is a battle for the soul of Ndigbo and Anambra, a battle between emotion and reason. Emotion will always dominate, but reason will eventually triumph.

“We have clamoured for the presidency since 1978, we have held many positions in Nigeria except president. So, how do we get there? We need partnerships. Politics is about interest, we are not doing Tinubu any favour by supporting him, rather we are doing ourselves a favour. We did not vote for him in 2023, yet he won, and some people want us to repeat the same mistake?”

Soludo said he was sure of Tinubu’s victory next year, saying, “A warrior who you couldn’t beat when he was sleeping in 2023, is it now that he is fully awake that you think you can defeat him? It can’t happen. Show me anywhere in the world that anyone has taken power from a powerful incumbent president?

“Ndigbo have been playing politics of protest and it is not in our own favour. Our brother who is running for president (Peter Obi) is my friend. We are close, our families are close and we will remain close. The only place where we disagree with each other is in politics. We cannot keep deceiving our people.

“In politics, there is not prize for second position, that is why I say we should not throw away our votes. We must remember there is consequence for running and failing. So, for Ndigbo, this is a battle between temporary emotion and reason.

“If we back Tinubu for a second term, after his tenure, power will move to the north, and when it comes to the South again, we will be able to negotiate with other regions in the South to support us because we supported them when they needed us.”

The Governor insisted that he was not supporting Tinubu’s reelection for any percuniary gains, adding that after winning a second term as governor, he was done with election contest.

He said: “I grew up in the era when we used to say – speak the truth and shame the devil. In 2023 I even wrote it down that he (Obi) will fail. I wrote that at best he would come third, and what later happened? This time, I’m saying it again that he will fail. Once you go to election with fragmented opposition, the incumbent will carry the day.

“I’m saying this truth because I care for Igbo. I’m no longer contesting any election after my second term, so I can retire to my village and be enjoying fresh palm wine, but it is the future of Ndigbo that we are fighting for. That is why I’m shouting because I know that contesting and failing has serious consequences.”

Soludo charged all parties in the coalition to go out and scout for votes to ensure a resounding victory for Tinubu on January 16, 2026.

He said parties must adopt a door-to-door campaign strategy to be able to reach undecided voters, insisting that securing victory for Tinubu in Anambra will give the state the right to negotiate for favours in his second term. He also scored the president high on projects being done in the state, saying only victory will give him the courage to complete the projects when he returns.

“Tinubu is doing many projects in Anambra State. We want to support him to ensure that he returns to complete them. There are numerous other projects that we would want him to do, but you can only ask for them if you are a member of the inner chamber.

“We need to partner the federal government for some projects. Our roads need to be motorable, there is the gas pipeline project, rail project, erosion menace. Some of these are not things a state can take on with just FAAC, and the only way the federal government can come to our aid is if we are partners,” Soludo said.

Akpabio: Akwa Ibom’ll Deliver South-South’s Highest Votes for Tinubu in 2027

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has assured President Bola Tinubu and the leadership of the APC that Akwa Ibom State would deliver the highest number of votes for the ruling party’s presidential candidate in the South-South geopolitical zone in the January 16, 2027 general election.

Akpabio, according to a statement from his Media Office, gave the assurance yesterday, at a special religious service organised to dedicate the APC’s 2027 election campaigns to God at the International Christian Worship Centre, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The service, which had the theme, ‘We Are Well Able,’ brought together party leaders, government officials, political stakeholders and supporters to seek divine guidance for the party ahead of the forthcoming general election.

The Senate President, who called on APC members in the state to close ranks and present a united front, said the party could only translate its electoral ambitions into reality if internal divisions and disagreements were set aside.

He attributed his emergence as President of the Senate to the support of Tinubu, describing the development as an opportunity for Akwa Ibom State to demonstrate its appreciation through massive electoral support for the President.

He said, “An Akwa Ibom son, through the support of Mr. President, is today the President of the Senate and the number three citizen of Nigeria. Whether you like him or not, he is there today.

“The only way to thank Mr. President for that support is to give him all our votes. From what I have seen here today, Akwa Ibom State will give Mr. President the highest number of votes in the South-South region.”

In an address titled ‘One Family, One Destiny, One Akwa Ibom Under God,’ the statement explained that Akpabio emphasised the importance of unity, inclusiveness and peaceful coexistence among members of the APC, warning against divisions based on the length of membership or political affiliation.

He maintained that the party should operate as one family in which old and new members enjoy equal opportunities to contribute to its growth and electoral success.

He said, “In the APC family, there should be no aborigines and no newcomers; no landlords and no tenants; no first-class members and no second-class members. There should be only one big family, united by a common purpose and a shared responsibility.

“Those who were here yesterday have a history to honour, and those who arrived today have contributions to make. Neither history nor arrival should become an instrument of exclusion.”

Using a biblical illustration from John 14:2, the Senate President said there was sufficient political space for every member of the party, irrespective of when they joined.

He said, “Our Lord Jesus Christ declared in John 14:2: ‘In my Father’s house are many mansions.’ Let me borrow that beautiful imagery today. In this house, there are many mansions, enough for everyone!

“There is room for the pioneer and room for the newcomer; room for the elder and room for the youth; room for those who laid the foundation and room for those who will raise the roof.

“Nobody needs to demolish another person’s mansion to find accommodation, and nobody needs to extinguish another person’s candle for his own light to shine. We may have arrived through different doors, but we must learn to live under one roof,” he added.

Akpabio further urged political leaders and party members to ensure that their political ambitions did not override the welfare and aspirations of the people.

He said political activities should reflect the moral values of the faith professed by the people, stressing that electoral campaigns must respect human dignity and promote peaceful coexistence.

“Therefore, our politics must reflect our faith, our campaigns must honour human dignity, and our ambitions must never become greater than the welfare of our people,” he stated.

The Senate President also described Akwa Ibom as a developing success story, attributing the state’s progress to purposeful leadership, peace and sustained development.

According to him, the state’s achievements should not be measured solely by physical infrastructure but also by its ability to strengthen relationships among its people and restore public confidence in governance.

He said, “Akwa Ibom has become a Nigerian wonder story, a testimony to the possibilities of purposeful leadership, peace and development.

“Our state is demonstrating that progress is not merely about the roads we construct or the buildings we erect, but also about the bridges we build between people and the hope we restore in human hearts.

“We must preserve this progress and ensure that the chapters yet to be written are greater than those already written,” he said.

He also linked the state’s development to the broader national interest, insisting that Akwa Ibom could not achieve sustainable prosperity in isolation from the challenges confronting other parts of the country.

Akpabio said, “Akwa Ibom’s greatness is inseparable from Nigeria’s greatness. We cannot desire peace in Uyo and be indifferent to insecurity elsewhere in our federation, nor celebrate prosperity in our communities while ignoring hardship in other parts of our country.

“Nigeria is not merely the nation to which Akwa Ibom belongs; it is the larger destiny to which Akwa Ibom contributes,” he said.

He urged political stakeholders to demonstrate national solidarity through their actions and strengthen the foundations of democracy.

Earlier, Governor Umo Eno thanked the people of Akwa Ibom for their support during the last election and appealed for even greater backing for Tinubu, Akpabio, himself and other APC candidates in the 2027 general election.

The governor also reaffirmed his commitment to serving the people with the fear of God, expressing the hope that they would give him another mandate to continue his administration’s development agenda.

He urged residents to sustain their support for the APC, describing the forthcoming election as an opportunity to consolidate the party’s political fortunes and development efforts in the state.