Rikwense Muri, President of the Southern Taraba Youth Coalition for Peace (STYCOP), has asserted that the North has little option but to back a Southern presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections if it intends to maintain political goodwill with the South.
This declaration follows speculations around former presidential candidate Peter Obi offering to serve a single term under a proposed coalition of opposition forces.
Muri, while commenting on the evolving alliances shaping ahead of the 2027 race, highlighted that political strategy is dictated by interest rather than sentiment or long-term loyalty.
“The North has no choice at the moment than to look for a Southern alternative to stand election against Tinubu,” he said.
“Politics is about interest, not trust. Political decisions are made for today, not necessarily for the future.”
Although final decisions will rest with various northern political power brokers, Muri suggested that the current political atmosphere favors greater collaboration between the North and South.
He also addressed concerns over internal disagreements within the opposition coalition, stressing that such differences are not insurmountable.
“Since the coalition is a team effort, any disagreement can be sorted out along the way,” he said.
Muri added that despite President Bola Tinubu’s incumbency, he already has supporters across the North, and the region is made up of diverse interest groups, which further opens up space for cross-regional cooperation.
“The North is made up of different interest groups. And as President Tinubu is currently in power, he already has allies across the North.”
Looking ahead to the next general election, Muri believes the political contest will transcend regional divides and instead focus on party ideologies and coalitions.
“The politics of 2027 is not going to be about North versus South, but APC versus the Coalition,” he concluded.
