Ambassador-designates Femi Fani-Kayode and Reno Omokri have stated that political power should not return to Northern Nigeria in 2027, insisting that the South should retain leadership until 2031.
In a joint statement issued on Saturday, both figures argued that the North had already completed two uninterrupted presidential terms under former President Muhammadu Buhari, supported in part by southern political actors.
They maintained that the current arrangement of power rotation requires the South to complete its turn in office as part of what they described as an informal but widely accepted political understanding within Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.
According to them, any attempt to shift power back to the North after only one term in the South would be “unpatriotic” and harmful to national unity and political stability.
The statement further referenced the importance of maintaining what they called a “gentleman’s agreement” established in 1999, which they said has helped balance power between Nigeria’s northern and southern regions.
They also expressed support for continued Southern leadership, arguing that it would ensure stability, unity, and economic progress for the country.
The remarks come amid growing political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections, where zoning and regional power balance continue to dominate national discourse.
