2027: Presidency should remain in South until 2031 — BTO For PBAT

Group says move will strengthen national unity, political stability, democratic inclusiveness By Dayo Johnson, Akure The Director-General of BTO For PBAT ’27 Support Group, Ogbeni Adojutelegan Adesuyi Gideon, has said the presidency should remain in Southern Nigeria until 2031 to promote equity, fairness and political balance. Adojutelegan said allowing the South to complete an eight-year presidential tenure would strengthen national unity, sustain democratic stability and give all geopolitical zones a sense of belonging.

In a statement issued in Akure, he acknowledged that power rotation was not expressly provided for in the Constitution but argued that it remained an important political arrangement for sustaining national cohesion and strengthening democratic institutions. He said the issue should be approached with political maturity and a commitment to the stability of the federation.

The group, which operates under the leadership of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, said equitable political arrangements were essential to sustaining mutual trust and deepening democracy. Adojutelegan described the return of power to the South in 2023 as significant, arguing that allowing the region to complete eight years in 2031 would serve the interest of political balance.

“The position of BTO For PBAT ’27 is clear and unequivocal: the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should remain in the South until 2031. “This position is not founded on sectional sentiment or regional antagonism. It is anchored on the fundamental principles of equity, fairness, justice and the need to sustain mutual understanding among the various geopolitical zones that constitute our great nation.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023. We believe that allowing the South to complete an eight-year presidential tenure, subject to the sovereign decision of Nigerians at the ballot box in 2027, would reinforce the spirit of fairness and political accommodation,” he said. He maintained that Nigeria’s democratic stability depended not only on constitutional provisions and elections but also on leaders’ willingness to uphold inclusion, balance and mutual respect.

While acknowledging the constitutional right of every qualified Nigerian to contest elections, he urged political stakeholders to consider arrangements that would strengthen public confidence in the fairness of the political system. “The presidency is a national institution that belongs to all Nigerians. Its leadership must continue to reflect the aspirations, collective interests and democratic expectations of the federation.

“We must recognise that political stability is strengthened when the various sections of the country believe that their interests are respected and their legitimate aspirations are fairly accommodated. “Our advocacy for the continuation of a southern presidency until 2031 is therefore a call for political fairness, national understanding and democratic consolidation, not an attempt to deny any Nigerian the constitutional right to participate in the electoral process,” he said.

The group said the debate on power rotation should be considered against the backdrop of Nigeria’s history, federal character and quest for national integration, stressing the need to balance constitutional rights with national consensus. Adojutelegan also reaffirmed the group’s support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, saying its position on the continuation of the southern presidency was consistent with its commitment to the current administration.

He said the group would pursue its objectives through grassroots mobilisation, stakeholder consultations, voter education and the promotion of peaceful electoral participation. He further pledged the group’s support for all APC candidates in Ondo State, emphasising the importance of party unity and discipline ahead of the elections. According to him, the organisation would sustain its activities across the state’s 18 local government areas, 203 wards and 3,933 polling units.

He attributed the group’s direction to Tunji-Ojo, whom he described as central to its coordination and grassroots mobilisation efforts. The Director-General urged political stakeholders to approach the 2027 elections with a sense of national responsibility, insisting that unity and stability should remain paramount. “At this critical stage of our democratic journey, political leaders must demonstrate the courage to place the collective interest of Nigeria above narrow sectional considerations.

“Democracy must be sustained through fairness, mutual respect, peaceful competition and an unwavering commitment to the sovereign will of the electorate. “We believe that the continuation of a southern presidency until 2031 would be consistent with the spirit of political balance and the broader objective of strengthening national unity. “Nevertheless, the ultimate decision belongs exclusively to the Nigerian people, whose constitutional authority to