Barely 24 hours after the opposition coalition group, African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated that it may not consider the zoning arrangement in picking its presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general election, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has noted that the Northern zone of the country would not be eligible for the presidency in 2027.

Interim National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, had emphasised in an interview on Monday that the coalition would place more emphasis on merit and national interest over traditional zoning, adding that the party would focus more on building a serious contender, not just a participant.

He said, “As for 2027, let me be clear: we are building the party to be a serious contender, not just a participant. But we are not fixated on the presidency as though it were the only prize worth winning.

“We are focused on building capacity across all levels so that we can contest and win governorships, Senate seats, House of Reps seats, and positions in state assemblies.

“Yes, the question of the presidential ticket will come, but first, we are laying the foundation.”

Akume insisted that the North must wait until 2031 when it will be its turn to produce the country’s next president, adding that a key political arrangement emanating from Nigeria’s 1999 democratic transition promoted the rotation of the presidency among the two Nigerian regions.

The former Benue State governor, who made the remarks at the Government-Citizen Engagement event organised by the Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation at Arewa House, Kaduna, urged the zone to remain patient and promote unity for the country’s stability and sustenance of its democracy.

He said, “Let me share with you what our leaders did in 1999, pre-Jos Convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). They recognised, and rightly too, that the only way to ensure our unity and territorial integrity of our dear country was to entrench in our minds and practice rotational presidency between the South and North.”

He paid tribute to the architects of the 1999 arrangement, including Chief Solomon Lar, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, Shehu Dan Musa, Abubakar Rimi, Prof. Suleman Kumo, Isaac Shaahu, and Prof. Jerry Gana, adding, “Their wisdom has paid off. This arrangement guaranteed the stability of the polity.”

“By this conception, the North, the region that is so dear to me, will be eligible for the presidency in 2031, not 2027. Nigeria will not cease to exist. But we need patience to arrive at our turn.

“Let us walk this path together, with faith in our country and renewed hope in our shared future. We are all resolved in deepening our democracy.”

He described Sir Ahmadu Bello as “a phenomenal being who promoted national cohesion and unity in Nigeria,” pointing out that he utilised his God-given talents, knowledge, as well as position and power, to drive development. “He believed in a Nigeria that is united and indivisible… He embodied the values of compassion, wisdom, selflessness, and integrity.”

While acknowledging challenges that trailed the removal of fuel subsidy since May 2023, Akume lauded the welfare, education, and youth policies of the Tinubu administration, noting that “Over four hundred thousand students have benefitted, while an estimated N53 billion has been disbursed through the Student Loan Act. Several young Nigerians now occupy strategic government roles.”

“The removal of fuel subsidy, though painful, has been a necessary reform that saved trillions of Naira. The savings are now being redirected into critical infrastructure and human development, while states are receiving increased allocations for development.”

This is as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has justified the North’s resentment, saying it stems from a feeling of betrayal and marginalisation by President Tinubu.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ACF, Bashir M. Dalhatu, expressed deep concerns over what he described as the growing marginalisation of Northern Nigeria under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The ACF chairman, who recalled the region’s strong electoral support for President Tinubu, said the zone provided about 64% of the total votes that won him the 2023 presidential election.

“Despite our support and goodwill, the feeling in the North is, to put it mildly, completely mixed. Key infrastructural projects, budgetary allocations, appointments, and policy decisions have largely sidelined Northern Nigeria,” Dalhatu said.

He listed insecurity, federal infrastructure, power supply, and agriculture as areas where the president has abandoned the zones, even as he decried the rising wave of terrorism, banditry, and kidnappings, while urging the President to take “strong, audacious, and sustained” action—especially by addressing root causes like youth unemployment and poverty.

The ACF leader, who pointed out that out of N1.013 trillion allocated to roads in 2025, only N24 billion went to the North-East, added that “not a single strategic road has been completed or maintained in the North in the past 20 years,” with over a dozen critical highway routes long neglected.

He similarly alleged a perceived budgetary discrimination, while claiming that a May 2025 Ministry of Works release showed allocations of N1.394 trillion to the South-West, compared to N105 billion for the North-West and N30 billion for the North-East.

“The Hausa say: ‘Gyara kayanka bai zama sauke mu raba ba.’ We criticise not out of mischief, but for the unity and development of Nigeria,” Dalhatu concluded.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, accused the Northern leaders and elites of being responsible for the region’s woes, and advised them to stop shifting blame to President Bola Tinubu for challenges that have long been festering under their watch.

The governor, who spoke at the occasion, emphasised that the problems bedevilling the region— which he listed as insecurity, poverty, and educational backwardness—were not created by the Tinubu administration but worsened by the negligence, silence, and inaction of northern elites over the last two decades.

The governor, who warned that the era of “blame games” must end, urged northern leaders to take ownership of the region’s crisis and work collaboratively with the federal government for solutions.

According to him, “This engagement must go beyond ceremonial speeches. It is a moment for deep reflection.

“This gathering must not be a political jamboree but a chance to assess promises made by President Tinubu — and more importantly, evaluate the contributions or failings of northern stakeholders themselves.

“Yes, President Tinubu made promises. But let us be honest with ourselves: he has kept faith with the North in many critical areas — security, agriculture, education, economic inclusion. The real question is, have we kept faith with our people as northern leaders?

“The North must look inwards instead of externalising blame for long-standing regional decay.

“For over 20 years, insecurity grew, education declined, and poverty deepened. Where were the loud voices now blaming Tinubu when these things took root? It is hypocrisy to now shift responsibility to a government that inherited decades of rot.

“We must stop waiting for Abuja to solve every problem. The North must rise and take charge of its own destiny,” he said.

“No president in Nigeria’s history has supported subnational governments in agricultural transformation like Tinubu is doing right now.”

He urged his fellow governors and northern elites to drop political posturing and focus on developmental cooperation.

“We have no reason to complain. We have every reason to unite. Let us get to work,” he said.