A former Secretary-General of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Anthony Sani, has ruled out the chances of Labour Party’s Peter Obi in the 2027 presidential race, stating that the North does not trust him enough to hand over power, even for a single term.
Sani said the region is more likely to support President Bola Tinubu, largely due to the loyalty of supporters of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who remained committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) until his final days.
According to Sani, Buhari’s followers would likely back Tinubu in honour of the late president’s political legacy. He argued that the North is skeptical of Obi’s promise to serve only one term, recalling how former President Goodluck Jonathan made a similar pledge but later reneged.
Sani said Tinubu remains the only southern candidate with a legitimate claim to a second term, a factor that could appeal to northerners who support the zoning arrangement for national balance.
He added that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also faces slim prospects, as the zoning principle does not favour another northern presidency, with most southerners and many northerners advocating for regional rotation in the interest of unity.
He also faulted the opposition coalition for lacking a clear policy direction, noting that all leading candidates in 2023, including Tinubu, Atiku, and Obi endorsed fuel subsidy removal, making it difficult for Nigerians to distinguish between them. Citing the 2023 results, where Tinubu polled 8 million votes, Atiku 7 million, and Obi 6.1 million, Sani said the electorate was not swayed by the opposition’s messaging.
Sani observed that the South-South and parts of the South-East are gradually aligning with the APC, which could further bolster Tinubu’s re-election chances.
Commenting on other potential contenders, he described former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as a capable technocrat but lacking grassroots appeal, while praising Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a strong mobiliser who could deliver Kano State and possibly add value to the APC if he defects.
