Southern Presidency Must be Honoured Says SNPF Ahead of 2027

Southern Presidency Must Be Honoured, Says SNPF Ahead of 2027

 

 

As preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify, the South-North Progressive Forum (SNPF) has urged that the presidency be zoned to the Southern region, stressing the need for fairness and national cohesion.

 

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, SNPF chairman, Comrade Festus Onyekwulisi, said the decision should go beyond agreements among political elites.

 

“It is not enough for a few political leaders to agree that the 2027 presidency should go to the South. There must be a deliberate effort to ensure that millions of citizens across southern and northern states actively buy into this idea,” he said.

 

Onyekwulisi added that the group is quietly working to build a national consensus that would shape voting patterns in 2027. He also called on the National Assembly to consider enacting laws formalising power rotation for elective positions.

 

The SNPF urged all political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has yet to zone its presidential ticket, to embrace power rotation in the interest of national stability.

 

“The 2027 elections must not be politics as usual. Any politician seeking to exploit insecurity, hunger, or ethnic and religious sentiments will fail. Nigerians will vote their conscience,” Onyekwulisi warned.

 

Citing Nigeria’s democratic history since 1957, he noted that the North has held the presidency for 24 cumulative years, compared with 18 years for the South. He argued that granting the South another term is not a favour, but a step toward equity, fairness, and national integration.

 

“This is about national integration, justice, and ensuring that every section of the country feels a genuine sense of belonging,” he said.

 

The SNPF disclosed that it has mobilised more than 30,000 coordinators from over 58,000 communities nationwide as part of a grassroots strategy aimed at galvanising at least 10 million votes for a Southern presidential candidate in 2027.

 

The group is also running sensitisation programmes to combat voter apathy and electoral malpractices, insisting its efforts are anchored on issues rather than divisive politics.

 

“Our vision is a Nigeria where no region dominates, and where equity and justice shape the political landscape,” Onyekwulisi added.