2027: Akume Reminds Northerners of 1999 Agreement on Power Rotation Between North and South

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has reminded Nigerians from the northern region of an agreement reached in Kaduna in 1999 to ensure the rotation of presidential power between the North and South.

Akume made the statement during a North-Central grassroots rally organised in support of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, the SGF urged northerners to consider the power-sharing arrangement established at the end of military rule, which provided for eight years of presidential leadership in the South, followed by eight years in the North.

According to Akume, although people from the northern region share a common regional identity, the political understanding reached in 1999 remains an important consideration in discussions about the country’s leadership.

He emphasised that the agreement was intended to ensure that both regions had an opportunity to produce the country’s president for an eight-year period.

In his words, “All of us are northerners but again I want us to take one thing into consideration. That we agreed in Kaduna in 1999 to ensure that power rotates between the north and the south. 8 years in the south, 8 years in the north.”

His remarks come amid growing political discussions ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, with the question of presidential succession and regional representation expected to feature prominently in political debates.

The power rotation arrangement has remained an important issue in Nigeria’s political landscape since the return to democratic rule in 1999. Although it is an informal political understanding rather than a constitutional requirement, it has influenced discussions about presidential candidates and regional representation within major political parties.

Watch the video from stamp time 36:10 to 36:34 HERE

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