The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has cautioned Northern politicians seeking the presidency in 2027 against violating the existing North-South power rotation arrangement, insisting that the South must be allowed to complete its eight-year tenure in the interest of fairness, equity and national stability.

Akume maintained that the political understanding reached by the two regions’ leaders in 1999 remained sacrosanct, warning that attempts to undermine the arrangement could erode the mutual trust and political balance that have sustained Nigeria’s democracy since the return to civilian rule.

The SGF, who spoke on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, led by its Supreme Knight, Sir Steve Adehi, insisted that Northern presidential aspirants must respect the established sequence of power rotation rather than seek to truncate the South’s current turn.

According to him, after eight years under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the North should show political sincerity and commitment to national cohesion by allowing the South to complete its eight-year cycle under the existing arrangement.

His position reinforces his earlier call for the political class to respect the power-sharing understanding ahead of the 2027 presidential election, in which President Bola Tinubu is expected to seek a second term.

A statement issued by the Head of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chris Ugwuegbulam, said Akume traced the arrangement to a political agreement reached in Kaduna in 1999, following extensive consultations among governors-elect of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other prominent political leaders.

The SGF recalled that the discussions were informed by concerns about the concentration of political power in one section of the country and growing dissatisfaction among political stakeholders who believed a deliberate mechanism was necessary to ensure fairness and inclusion.

He explained that the leaders eventually agreed that presidential power should alternate between the North and the South in eight-year cycles, beginning with the South, as a practical means of promoting political balance and strengthening mutual confidence among the country’s diverse groups.

Akume maintained that the agreement was not merely a convenient political arrangement but a fundamental understanding designed to preserve Nigeria’s territorial integrity, deepen democratic governance and prevent any region from feeling permanently excluded from the highest political office.

He argued that the principle had contributed significantly to the continuity of democratic governance by providing a framework for managing the country’s regional diversity and addressing competing political interests.

The SGF therefore urged political stakeholders to resist attempts to subordinate the arrangement to individual ambitions, stressing that national unity, fairness and mutual respect should take precedence over personal political calculations.

He emphasised that the North-South rotation principle should not be treated as a temporary political convenience that could be discarded whenever it became expedient, but as an enduring political understanding rooted in the need to promote equity and safeguard national stability.

Akume also used the occasion to appeal for greater understanding of the Federal Government’s ongoing economic reforms, explaining that the administration’s development agenda must be assessed against immediate economic pressures and the long-term requirements of sustainable national growth.

He noted that addressing Nigeria’s development challenges would require sustained cooperation among the federal, state, and local governments, particularly in implementing policies and programmes aimed at improving citizens’ welfare.

The SGF commended the Knights of St. Mulumba for its humanitarian activities and contributions towards alleviating the suffering of vulnerable Nigerians, describing such interventions as important complements to government efforts.

Earlier, the Supreme Knight of the Order, Sir Steve Adehi, outlined several charitable initiatives the organisation has undertaken to support disadvantaged members of society.

He disclosed that the interventions included providing financial assistance for medical treatment, settling outstanding financial obligations of inmates to facilitate their release from correctional facilities, constructing boreholes, renovating schools and supporting healthcare institutions.

Adehi explained that the initiatives were informed by the recognition that government alone could not adequately respond to the numerous social and economic challenges confronting Nigerians.

He stressed the need for stronger collaboration among government, private organisations, philanthropic institutions, and community-based groups to tackle poverty, improve access to essential services, and raise living standards.

The Supreme Knight reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to humanitarian service, noting that sustained private-sector participation and community interventions remained essential to building a more inclusive and compassionate society. (The Nation)