Uche Nwosu, a prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Chief of Staff to the Imo State government, has firmly opposed calls for the presidency to return to Northern Nigeria in 2027, arguing that the South should complete an eight-year tenure, mirroring the North‘s under former President Muhammadu Buhari. In an interview with journalists in Abuja on Saturday, April 26, 2025, Nwosu emphasized the need for regional balance in Nigeria’s political leadership, citing fairness and equity as guiding principles.
“It is unfair and unjust to say power should return to the North in 2027. I am not in support of that. I am 100 per cent in support of the South to complete its eight years,” Nwosu stated, referencing President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing tenure as a Southern leader. “We have President Bola Tinubu who is from the South. So why should we, at this point in time, start talking about power returning to the North? Former President Buhari just finished his eight years. So, it is very justifiable that the South should finish its eight years too before we now talk about power shifting,” he added, as reported by Daily Post and Naija News.
Nwosu’s stance aligns with the informal rotational presidency practice in Nigeria, which seeks to alternate power between the North and South to promote unity. Since 1999, the presidency has followed this pattern: Olusegun Obasanjo (South-West, 1999–2007), Umaru Yar’Adua (North-West, 2007–2010), Goodluck Jonathan (South-South, 2010–2015), Muhammadu Buhari (North-West, 2015–2023), and now Bola Tinubu (South-West, 2023–present). By 2027, the South will have held power for 18 years compared to the North’s 10, a point highlighted in X posts like @Right_Man1’s analysis, though Nwosu argues the focus should be on equal eight-year terms per region.
Addressing agitation for the presidency to shift to the South-East, a region yet to produce a president in the Fourth Republic, Nwosu urged patience, suggesting that Tinubu’s tenure should be allowed to run its course. “The people of the zone should allow Tinubu to finish his tenure first,” he said, as noted by National Accord Newspaper. He cautioned against premature judgment of Tinubu’s administration, which he believes has made strides in socio-economic and infrastructural development, including urban renewal in the Federal Capital Territory and progress in the solid minerals sector.
Nwosu’s comments come amid heightened political maneuvering, with opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, and Peter Obi forming a coalition to challenge Tinubu in 2027, a move Nwosu dismissed as unlikely to succeed due to conflicting interests. He also addressed the wave of defections to the APC, such as Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s recent switch, arguing that these reflect the PDP’s internal crises rather than a drift toward a one-party state. “There is nothing new about the gale of defections. It is the people’s choice to decide which party they want to join, especially when their parties are in crisis,” he said.
The APC chieftain’s advocacy for a Southern presidency until 2031 reflects a broader debate on zoning, with some Northern leaders, like APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje, supporting Tinubu’s re-election, while others, like Northern Elders Forum’s Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, prioritize competence over regional loyalty. As Nigeria navigates economic challenges and insecurity, Nwosu’s call for patience with Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope” agenda underscores the APC’s strategy to consolidate power ahead of 2027, though it risks alienating Northern stakeholders pushing for a return to regional leadership.
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