The governor of Adamawa State says he believes the next president of Nigeria should come from the South and not from the North in the 2027 general election.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri spoke on Tuesday with Channels TV, saying that “no northerner has any business joining the race” for the presidency, and that the South should be allowed to lead the country next.
His comments reflect an ongoing debate about zoning — the idea that different regions should take turns holding the presidency.
Fintiri argued that after the South has spent eight years in the top office, it is fair for the next president to come from a different region, especially the South.
The governor’s remarks followed his recent decision to leave the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He also noted that the PDP had not presented any credible aspirant for the office.
“But who is that person who has come out to say he wants to contest for the presidential election in the PDP? I have not seen — we have not seen any for now,” he said.
“So, where are we playing the opposition? If I move for the stability of this country, we still believe we should play our part to keep this country as one indivisible nation.”
Fintiri, who described himself as a key player in his former party, said he could not risk his political future based on speculations, and that his defection was to strengthen the ruling party’s chances in the elections and help secure a strong vote for President Bola Tinubu.
