Okupe Advocates for Southern Presidency in 2027, Cautions Against Northern Dominance

Dr. Doyin Okupe, former Director-General of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, has called for the South to produce Nigeria’s next president in 2027.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday, Okupe emphasized the need for fairness in allowing the South to complete an eight-year term, mirroring the North’s tenure before President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Okupe acknowledged the qualifications of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, but argued that geopolitical considerations make it inappropriatef or Atiku to vie for the presidency in 2027.

“Atiku failed in 2023, not because he wasn’t a good candidate, but because people believed a northern Muslim couldn’t succeed another northern Muslim after eight years,” Okupe said.

“If Atiku contests in 2027, he has every right and remains one of the best we have, but geopolitics will remain a challenge.”

Okupe further explained that it would be unfair for the North to interrupt the South’s tenure in 2027, citing an unwritten understanding that power rotates between the two regions.

“The conditionality still persists. A southerner would have just completed four years and needs another four-year term.

Though it’s not in the constitution, we agree that when a northerner does eight years, a southerner should also do the same.

The North cannot terminate the South’s tenure in 2027—it’s not going to work,” he stated.

While Okupe acknowledged that Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, is well-positioned as a southern candidate for 2027, he expressed skepticism about Obi’s chances of unseating President Tinubu.

He also dismissed the possibility of any political alliance effectively challenging Tinubu’s administration in the next election.

“Any alliances against Tinubu will fail because the participants are unlikely to make the necessary concessions,” Okupe said.

“The success of the 2015 alliance that brought ex-President Buhari to power was because Tinubu, its leader, conceded everything to make it work.

I don’t see the likes of Atiku, Peter Obi, or Rabiu Kwankwaso being ready to make similar concessions.”

Okupe concluded by questioning the willingness of opposition leaders from the PDP, LP, and NNPP to set aside personal ambitions for a unified political front against Tinubu in 2027.