2027 Polls: Presidency should remain in the South. No Northerner has business contesting  —  Gov Fintiri insists.

Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State

The Adamawa State Governor, Rt. Hon. Umaru Fintiri has insisted that the presidency should remain in the southern part of the country in 2027, maintaining that the region deserves to complete eight years in line with Nigeria’s long-standing power-sharing understanding.

The governor while speaking on Tuesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, said although zoning is not provided for in the constitution, it remains important for national unity.

“A northerner has no business at the moment to vie for the office of the president,” Fintiri said.

“It is the South’s turn; they should complete their eight years if we are really serious about this country and leadership,” Governor Fintiri added.

President Bola Tinubu, who is from the South, is currently serving his first term.

On his relationship with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Fintiri said it remains cordial despite his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress, the APC.

According to him, political differences have not affected their personal ties.

“I still have. There is nothing that has gone bad. It is just that everybody has taken their political ways, and I am today in APC, they are in another party,” Fintiri said.

Atiku Abubakar, who also hails from Adamawa State, is seeking the presidency ahead of the 2027 general election under the umbrella of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Governor Fintiri, who recently joined the APC, also defended his decision to jump ship to the APC amid growing criticism over the increasing number of defections to the ruling party and claims that Nigeria is drifting towards a one-party system.

The governor said the need to better position Adamawa State to benefit from the federal government was paramount to his decision to defect to the ruling All Progressive Congress.