•Ali Modu Sheriff and Atiku Abubakar
Former Borno State governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Ali Modu Sheriff, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s chances in the 2027 presidential election, insisting that it is not the North’s turn to produce Nigeria’s next president.
Speaking on Channels Television last night, Sheriff said the North would not support Atiku’s presidential bid because it is the turn of the Southerner.
According to him, Nigeria’s political leaders reached an understanding after the civil war to ensure regional balance in the country’s leadership.
“After the civil war our leaders have said that there will no longer be this situation in Nigeria, there is a regional agreement. For Atiku, it’s not our time now. He is on his own because it is the turn for the South. Buhari just finished 8 years.
“If Atiku wants to be president he can wait, he is a leader in Northern Nigeria, he is eminently qualified but it is not our time now, he has to wait till 2031. That is the time for the North, for now, it is time for the South.”
Sheriff expressed confidence that President Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027 but said the APC would not take anything for granted and would work hard ahead of the polls.
The former Borno governor also dismissed the presidential ambition of former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, who is seeking the presidency in 2027 under the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Obi, who polled more than six million votes to finish third in the 2023 presidential election, would not receive the support of Northern voters in 2027, Sheriff claimed.
“I am not worried about Peter Obi at all because I know that Northerners will never vote for Peter Obi,” he said.
When reminded that Obi won significant votes in states such as Nasarawa and Plateau during the 2023 election, Sheriff argued that circumstances had changed.
“The situation is different now, you know why? Peter Obi when he was a governor chased all the Northerners out of Anambra State,” Sheriff alleged.
He added: “This is what Kano people are telling Kwankwaso now, that we always supported you and we will support you if you run for president but we will not support you to go with Peter Obi.”
