From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has intensified the political push for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, warning that any Northerner seeking the presidency against him would be acting against the region’s interests.
Akume declared that the North should support Tinubu for a second term and defer its own presidential ambition until 2031, invoking the power-rotation arrangement between Northern and Southern Nigeria as the basis for his position.
The SGF’s remarks, delivered on Saturday at a pre-campaign meeting with Benue indigenes resident in Kaduna, amount to a direct challenge to Northern politicians considering presidential bids in 2027 and a call for the region to close ranks behind Tinubu ahead of the next general election.
“Anybody who is from the North and running for the presidency is an enemy of the North. Don’t allow that pretender to deceive you. It is not yet our turn. The North’s turn is in 2031. Prepare to vote for Tinubu,” Akume said.
His comments place the debate over the 2027 presidency squarely within the contentious politics of zoning and power rotation, with Akume arguing that Northern political interests would be better served by allowing Tinubu to complete a second term before the region seeks to reclaim the presidency.
He warned that individual ambitions could undermine the region’s collective political interests and weaken the arrangement he said had helped preserve Nigeria’s unity.
“Remember that it was in this same Kaduna State that we agreed on power rotation between the North and the South. You cannot doubt the credentials of those that reached this agreement at that time, and it was done to keep this country together,” he said.
Akume’s appeal also sought to frame support for Tinubu as a question of political consistency and national stability, rather than merely partisan loyalty. He argued that the power-sharing understanding reached by political leaders should guide decisions ahead of the 2027 election.
The SGF, however, did not identify the Northern aspirants he was referring to or specify which opposition figure he accused of inconsistency over fuel subsidy removal.
Making a case for Tinubu’s re-election, Akume dismissed claims that the President favoured one religious group over another in federal appointments, urging Northerners to assess the administration’s record rather than rely on political rhetoric.
“The President has been fair to all in terms of appointments and others. He doesn’t favour one religion over the other. Just look at the figures. So be careful about what people tell you,” he said.
He also cited federal government projects in Benue State, including investments in healthcare, roads and education, as evidence of Tinubu’s commitment to the state.
On education financing, Akume claimed that more than 65 per cent of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) beneficiaries were from the North. The statement did not provide figures or supporting data to substantiate the claim.
Seeking to undermine the position of an unnamed political rival, Akume accused the individual of repeatedly changing his stance on fuel subsidy removal.
“There is none like Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. Forget that other one making noise that he was going to remove fuel subsidy. He is always flip-flopping. He says something today and changes gear the next minute,” he said.
The remarks signal an effort to strengthen Tinubu’s political standing in the North by combining an appeal to zoning with arguments about federal appointments, development projects and the President’s record in office.
Akume also used the gathering to endorse Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, urging the Benue community resident in the state to support his return to office.
He praised Sani’s leadership and linked his vision to that of the late Northern Nigerian leader, Ahmadu Bello, popularly known as the Sardauna of Sokoto.
“Your governor is a good man and he has done well for this state. Let us return him to power too,” Akume said.
The SGF, a former governor of Benue State, also invoked his experience in office to argue that effective leadership required cooperation across ethnic and religious lines, recalling that Fulani communities lived in Benue during his tenure.
He described Kaduna as a historic home for Benue indigenes living in the state and urged them to maintain their political engagement with leaders at both state and federal levels.
The meeting was attended by former Jigawa State Governor Saminu Turaki, former Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline Tallen, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Minister of Water Resources Joseph Utsev and Minister of Steel Development Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, among other political figures.
Akume’s intervention adds to the political debate over zoning, regional interests and the succession timetable ahead of 2027. His assertion that the North should wait until 2031 reflects his position on power rotation, while the extent to which Northern political stakeholders will embrace that argument remains to be seen.
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