By Nkechi Eze
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged political stakeholders to respect Nigeria’s North-South power rotation arrangement ahead of the 2027 presidential election, describing it as a key understanding for sustaining national unity, political fairness and democratic stability.
Akume stated this on Wednesday in Abuja when he received a delegation of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, led by its Supreme Knight, Sir Steve Adehi.
According to an official statement signed by Chris Ugwuegbulam, Head of Information and Public Relations, the SGF recalled that the power rotation arrangement was reached in Kaduna in 1999 following consultations among governors-elect on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and prominent political leaders.
He said the agreement was designed to ensure equitable distribution of political power between Northern and Southern Nigeria, prevent feelings of exclusion and strengthen national cohesion following the return to democratic rule.
Akume explained that the leaders agreed that presidential power should alternate between the two regions in eight-year cycles, beginning with the South, to promote political balance, mutual trust and national stability.
He maintained that the arrangement had contributed to the continuity of democratic governance by providing a framework for managing Nigeria’s regional diversity and ensuring that neither region felt permanently excluded from the presidency.
The SGF stressed that power rotation should not be treated as a temporary political convenience but as an important political understanding rooted in fairness, mutual respect and the preservation of national unity.
Addressing the 2027 presidential election, Akume frowned at attempts by Northern aspirants to contest the presidency before the completion of the South’s current eight-year tenure, urging political stakeholders to respect the established sequence.
He noted that, following the eight years of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, the current Southern tenure should be allowed to run its course in accordance with the principle of alternating presidential power between the two regions.
The SGF also called for a broader understanding of the Federal Government’s development agenda, noting that national development must be assessed against both immediate economic pressures and the long-term needs of the country.
He emphasised the importance of sustained collaboration among the Federal, State and Local Governments in addressing the nation’s challenges and improving citizens’ welfare.
Earlier, the Supreme Knight of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba, Sir Steve Adehi, said the organisation had undertaken several charitable interventions to support vulnerable members of society.
He listed the interventions to include sponsoring medical treatment for patients, assisting inmates with outstanding financial obligations to facilitate their release from correctional facilities, providing boreholes, renovating schools and supporting hospitals.
Adehi explained that the initiatives were driven by the recognition that government alone could not address the numerous social and economic challenges confronting Nigerians.
He called for greater private philanthropy, partnerships and community-based initiatives to complement government efforts, alleviate poverty and improve living conditions across the country.
