Kano governor urges northern presidential hopefuls to wait until 2031

Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has urged northern presidential aspirants to wait until 2031, arguing that Nigeria’s presidency should continue rotating between the North and South. Yusuf made the call on Sunday at the Kano Government House while unveiling 50 vehicles donated by Chief Government Ekpemupolo, known as Tompolo, for APC campaign mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections. According to a statement by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Dawakin-Tofa, Yusuf said President Bola Tinubu should be supported to complete a second term.

He said this would allow the South to complete its two-term cycle before power returned to the North. The governor argued that giving each region the opportunity to produce a president for two consecutive terms would provide enough time to implement major policies and development programmes. He described rotational presidency as a way to promote fairness, equity, national cohesion, mutual trust and a sense of belonging.

His position effectively asks northern presidential hopefuls to defer their ambitions until after the 2027-2031 period. Yusuf also called for peaceful and issue-based campaigns. He urged political parties and candidates to focus on policies, programmes and development plans rather than personal attacks or inflammatory language.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to democratic engagement and asked political actors to place the unity, peace and development of Kano and Nigeria above partisan differences. The remarks come as parties prepare for the 2027 general elections and debate how presidential power should be distributed among Nigeria’s regions.