Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has cautioned against attempts by northern political interests to reclaim the presidency in 2027, warning that such a move could trigger renewed separatist agitations in southern Nigeria.
Sani argued that respecting the principle of power rotation was critical to national stability, noting that former President Muhammadu Buhari completed eight years in office before handing over to President Bola Tinubu in 2023.
The former lawmaker made the remarks during a media parley with journalists in Kaduna on Friday, amid political discussions over the distribution of power ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Sani, allowing the South to complete its presidential tenure would give northern politicians an opportunity to pursue the presidency in 2031 without disrupting the existing power-sharing arrangement.
He warned that any attempt to reverse the arrangement could heighten political tensions and reignite separatist agitations in different parts of the country.
Sani referred to agitations in the South-East, South-West and South-South, arguing that expectations surrounding political inclusion and access to presidential power had influenced developments in the regions.
The former senator also accused some northern political leaders of inconsistency in their criticism of successive administrations over insecurity.
He alleged that some leaders who criticised former President Goodluck Jonathan over security challenges failed to maintain the same level of scrutiny during Buhari’s administration but had become vocal in their condemnation of Tinubu over similar concerns.
While insisting that Tinubu should be held accountable for the country’s security challenges, Sani said political leaders should apply the same standards irrespective of the administration in power.
He cited the abductions in Dapchi, Jangebe, Kankara and Yauri, alongside the attack on Greenfield University, as examples of security incidents that should be assessed without ethnic or partisan considerations.
On his political ambition, Sani disclosed that he was seeking a return to the Senate to represent Kaduna Central, a district he previously represented in the National Assembly.
He highlighted interventions he said he facilitated during his previous tenure, including primary healthcare centres, scholarships, educational assistance and women’s empowerment programmes.
Sani also criticised the immediate past Kaduna State administration, accusing it of suppressing dissent, dismissing workers and teachers, and demolishing residential properties.
He further called for the protection of Kaduna State’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious character, stressing that peaceful coexistence among its diverse communities remained essential to the state’s stability.
