“Those Behind Northern Coalition Are Jokers; The South Must Complete Its Eight Years” – Former Osinbajo Aide

Laolu Akande, the former Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has called for Southern Nigeria to retain the presidency in 2027, completing an eight-year rotational cycle. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Akande emphasized the importance of respecting the unwritten agreement of rotational presidency between the North and the South.

According to Akande, the principle of power rotation is firmly entrenched in Nigeria’s political framework, with widespread national consensus. He dismissed efforts by northern coalitions to disrupt this cycle, describing them as futile. “The South is going to get its eight years. The North will get the next eight years. Politicians are just going to make noise. It is not going to be possible, really, to terminate the southern term,” Akande stated.

This call aligns with the precedence set in 2023 when President Bola Tinubu assumed office following widespread support for a southern presidency after Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure. The principle of rotational presidency also influenced voting patterns, with Peter Obi of the Labour Party gaining traction and internal dissent within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) advocating for a southern leader.

However, ahead of the 2027 elections, economic challenges such as high inflation, exacerbated by subsidy removal and exchange rate unification, have shifted political dynamics. Accusations of ethnic favoritism and reports of northern coalition talks, led by figures like Atiku Abubakar, indicate a contentious electoral landscape.

Akande dismissed these efforts, asserting, “Anybody trying to reverse that is just joking. It’s not going to work.”

Osinbajo’s Political Role and APC’s Unfulfilled Promises

On his former principal’s political future, Akande confirmed that Yemi Osinbajo remains a member of the APC despite stepping back after losing the 2022 primaries. He clarified that Osinbajo would participate in party activities if invited, countering speculations about his political inactivity.

Reflecting on the APC merger of 2014, Akande criticized its inability to address Nigeria’s core challenges, describing it as a missed opportunity. “The problems facing Nigeria are beyond political arrangements,” he said. “Nine years later, where are we? We are nowhere different from where we were then because the core issues have been left unaddressed.”

He warned that ongoing political mergers risk repeating the APC’s failures, offering superficial changes instead of meaningful reforms. Akande urged Nigerians to advocate for a consensus on governance standards, transcending party and regional divisions. “We need to agree that, regardless of political parties, ethnic differences, or religious affiliations, there are minimum standards that anyone running Nigeria or a state government must meet,” he concluded.