Atiku Must Wait Till 2031, Northerners Won’t Vote for Him in 2027 — Ali Modu Sheriff

Atiku Must Wait Till 2031, Northerners Won’t Vote for Him in 2027 — Ali Modu Sheriff

Former Borno State governor Ali Modu Sheriff has said that Atiku Abubakar should forget about contesting the presidency in 2027 and instead wait until 2031, arguing that the North is unlikely to support him in the next election cycle.

Sheriff made the remark while speaking on national politics and the likely power dynamics ahead of the 2027 presidential race. According to him, after the completion of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, fairness and political balance require that the presidency remain in the South for another term before power can return to the North. His statement is the latest sign that political calculations ahead of 2027 are already intensifying, with prominent voices beginning to stake positions on zoning, regional power rotation, and the chances of major contenders.

       According to Ali Modu Sheriff, the North should not be pushing for the presidency in 2027 because it already held power for eight years under Buhari before the current administration.

From his point of view, allowing another northerner to contest immediately after Buhari’s tenure would go against the principle of regional balance that has often shaped Nigeria’s presidential politics. That is why he believes Atiku Abubakar, a former vice-president and one of the most persistent presidential contenders in modern Nigerian politics, should step back and wait until 2031 if he still wants to pursue the presidency.

One of the strongest parts of Sheriff’s comment was his claim that northerners would not vote for Atiku in 2027. The statement suggests not just a personal opinion about Atiku’s timing, but also a broader political calculation — that there may be little appetite in the North to challenge the informal expectation that the South should complete another term before power rotates again. If that sentiment holds across major northern political blocs, it could significantly affect Atiku’s prospects should he decide to run again.

Ali Modu Sheriff’s statement matters because it touches on one of the biggest issues likely to shape the 2027 election: zoning and power rotation. Although Nigeria’s constitution does not require the presidency to rotate between North and South, the idea has long been treated as a political balancing mechanism in a deeply diverse country.

Supporters of rotation argue that it helps preserve national stability and inclusion by ensuring that no single region dominates power for too long. Opponents, however, often argue that competence should matter more than geography.

Sheriff’s intervention places him firmly on the side of those who believe that the South should retain the presidency in 2027.

Atiku Abubakar has remained one of the most enduring figures in Nigeria’s presidential politics, having contested multiple times over the years. But if more influential northern politicians begin openly saying that 2027 is not his moment, it could complicate any effort to build a broad coalition around another presidential run. That does not automatically mean Atiku is out of the race. Nigerian politics can shift quickly, alliances can change, and zoning arguments can be challenged if circumstances evolve. Still, Sheriff’s comments are significant because they reflect a line of thinking that could become more common as political camps begin to organise ahead of the next election.

Even though the 2027 election is still ahead, the public conversation is already beginning to reveal the fault lines that may define the contest.

Questions around whether the South should retain power, whether northern politicians should step aside, and which major figures are still viable are likely to dominate political discussions over the coming months and years. Sheriff’s remarks suggest that for some northern political actors, the issue is not just whether Atiku can win, but whether he should even be the one trying to lead the charge in 2027.

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Ali Modu Sheriff’s statement that Atiku Abubakar should wait until 2031 and that northerners will not vote for him in 2027 adds a fresh layer to the growing debate over Nigeria’s next presidential election. At the heart of the comment is a familiar but powerful political question: should the presidency remain in the South after Buhari’s eight years in office, or is the North free to contest immediately again?

As 2027 approaches, that question is likely to become even louder — and Atiku’s political future may depend heavily on how it is answered.