by Mohammed Bello Doka
7 May, 2026
The debate over zoning the Nigerian presidency in 2027 has taken a troubling turn. Two prominent Northern politicians—Shehu Sani and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso—have suddenly repositioned themselves as champions of a Southern presidency. On the surface, they argue for fairness, national unity, and adherence to an unwritten zoning arrangement. But a closer examination reveals something far more cynical: both men are using the North as currency to advance their personal political interests. Their arguments are not only wrong on the facts but represent a calculated betrayal of the collective Northern consensus.
The Northern Calculation They Both Know (But Ignore)
Any honest discussion of zoning must begin with the numbers. Between 1999 and 2027, the actual distribution of presidential years is not debatable:
· Olusegun Obasanjo (South) – 8 years (1999–2007)
· Goodluck Jonathan (South) – completes Yar'Adua's remaining 2 years (2010–2011) rather than hand over to the North. Then he contests again and wins a full 4-year term (2011–2015). That is 6 years from Jonathan.
· Muhammadu Buhari (North) – 8 years (2015–2023)
· Bola Tinubu (South) – 4 years by 2027 (2023–2027)
South total: 8 + 6 + 4 = 18 years
North total: 8 years (Buhari only) = 10 years
That is the calculation: 18 for the South, 10 for the North.
What the South and Their Northern Cheerleaders Failed to Mention
After completing Yar'Adua's 2 years, Jonathan—a Southerner—did not hand over to the North as zoning would have suggested. Instead, he contested again and won. And then, he even contested again in 2015 but lost to Buhari. That means the South, through Jonathan alone, extracted two extra elections from the North's slot. Neither Shehu Sani nor Kwankwaso mentions this. They pretend the North is being unreasonable, but they know the truth: the North has already conceded far more than any zone.
Yet here is the critical point that Shehu Sani and Kwankwaso deliberately hide: there is no constitutional or legal backing for zoning anywhere in the 1999 Constitution. Zoning is a voluntary political arrangement, not a binding covenant. Every Nigerian has the right to support any candidate from any region.
But instead of making that honest case, both men have wrapped themselves in a false moral cloak—pretending to defend the South while actually selling out the North.
Shehu Sani: The Incumbent's Apologist
Shehu Sani has argued publicly that the North must allow the South to "complete its eight years" in 2027, claiming that the Northwest has already produced two presidents (Yar'Adua and Buhari). He appeals to reciprocity: the South-West supported Buhari for eight years, so now Northerners should support a Southern incumbent.
What Sani does not say is that his position directly benefits President Bola Tinubu—a man whose political survival in 2027 would keep Sani relevant. Sani has no grassroots Northern mandate; he is a solo actor whose political career has thrived on controversy and access to power. By arguing against a Northern presidency in 2027, he positions himself as a loyal Southern ally while abandoning the millions of Northerners who reasonably desire to see their region complete a full turn. His is not the voice of fairness—it is the voice of personal survival.
Kwankwaso: The Opposition's Opportunist
Rabiu Kwankwaso's case is even more revealing. His camp has formally zoned the presidential ticket of the newly formed opposition coalition (NDC) to the South for 2027. Kwankwaso, a two-time presidential aspirant from the North, knows full well that zoning the ticket to the South effectively eliminates his own ambition—unless he runs as a vice-presidential candidate or defects again. So why is he doing it?
The answer is pure transactional politics. Kwankwaso is angling for a merger that guarantees him a powerful role—potentially as Vice President or as the kingmaker controlling Northern votes delivered to a Southern candidate. He is selling the North's political weight to Southern power brokers in exchange for personal relevance. Under the guise of "national unity," he is auctioning off Northern electoral numbers to the highest bidder. This is not leadership; it is political prostitution.
Both Men Were Aware of This Calculation—But Their Personal Interests Override Our Collective Northern Interest
Both Shehu Sani and Kwankwaso were fully aware of the 18-to-10-year calculation. They knew that Jonathan took 2 years plus a full 4-year term, and even ran again. They knew the North has had only Buhari's 8 years. They know that zoning has no constitutional force. They know all of this.
But their personal calculations are different:
· Sani needs to remain relevant to the current administration.
· Kwankwaso needs a pathway to power after two failed presidential bids.
In both cases, the North becomes a currency—a bargaining chip to be traded for their selfish ends. They speak of fairness but practice exploitation. They invoke the North's name while stabbing its collective ambition in the back.
A Clarion Call to Northerners, Especially the Youth
It is time to see Shehu Sani and Kwankwaso for who they truly are: opportunists wearing the robe of statesmen. They do not speak for the North. They do not represent the millions of Northern youth who dream of leadership, employment, and dignity. They represent only themselves.
To every Northerner—especially the young people who will inherit this nation—I say this: punish this betrayal. Not only from Shehu Sani and Kwankwaso, but from every Northerner who, at moments like this, chooses to sell out the North for a seat at a table not built for us. Let your memory be long. Let your political action be sharp. Support leaders who stand with Northern interest without apology, not those who disguise self-interest as morality.
The Final Clarification: Zoning Is Not Law—But Deception Must Be Rejected
Let there be no confusion. The 1999 Constitution says nothing about zoning. There is no legal crime in supporting a Southern president in 2027. Every Nigerian—North or South—is free to support any candidate from any region for any reason. That is democracy.
But an attempt to mislead the public with false morality—pretending that zoning is a binding obligation, pretending that the North has had its turn, pretending that fairness demands the South be handed 2027 while hiding Jonathan's double extension and the 18-to-10 gap—must be rejected by every right-thinking Nigerian. When men like Shehu Sani and Kwankwaso weaponize zoning to manipulate public opinion while hiding their own interests, they insult the intelligence of the Northern masses.
Let them support the South if they wish. That is their right. But let them stop pretending they are martyrs for justice. They are traders in Northern blood and votes. And the North will remember.
The North is not for sale. Not in 2027. Not ever.
Mohammed Bello Doka can be reached via [email protected]
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Opinion