Ahmadu Fintiri, governor of Adamawa State, has said that no northern politician should contest the presidency in 2027, insisting that power should remain in the south in the interest of fairness and national unity.
Fintiri made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television.
While acknowledging that every Nigerian has a constitutional right to seek elective office, the governor argued that the unwritten zoning arrangement between the north and south should be respected to preserve stability.
“It is still the turn of the south. A northerner has no business at the moment to vie for the office of the president,” Fintiri said.
He urged Nigerians to support Bola Tinubu in completing what he described as a full eight-year tenure.
“After all, he has done so much. He initiated good policies that are working, showing us light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.
Fintiri’s comments come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election. The governor, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in February, said his decision was based on political conviction rather than personal disagreements.
Addressing speculation about a fallout with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Fintiri dismissed claims of strained relations.
“Nothing has gone bad but everybody has taken their political ways. I am today in APC, they are in another party,” he said.
Abubakar, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023, resigned from the party in July 2025 and formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in November 2025. He has declared his intention to seek the ADC’s presidential ticket for the 2027 election.
A native of Adamawa State, Abubakar has contested Nigeria’s presidency six times and has appeared on the ballot as a presidential candidate in 2007, 2019 and 2023.
Fintiri’s position is likely to stir debate within northern political circles as the country begins early maneuvering ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly over the issue of zoning and power rotation between the regions.
