Presidency will not return to North in 2027, says Okupe

A former presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, has insisted that the presidency will not return to the North in 2027, even if President Bola Tinubu fails to secure a second term.

Okupe made this statement on Monday during an interview with Arise TV, while responding to calls for a Northern presidency in the upcoming electoral cycle.

He said, “Those who have controlled the affairs of this nation, in terms of politics, have historically been more interested in the national interest than sectional interest.

“There are still Nigerians with integrity,” he added, referencing Femi, who returned N21 million worth of crypto coins to their rightful owner.

Okupe continued, “Our failure to evolve a national elite system is one of the most fundamental problems hindering Nigeria’s progress, as we continue to pull in different directions.”

He went on to state unequivocally, “For 2027, I, as a politician, authoritatively say—without any fear of contradiction or equivocation—that power will not return to the North. This is not how we do it.”

“We rotate between the North and the South. The North does eight years, after which the South does eight years. I’m not saying Bola Tinubu must be president in 2027, but it will not be a northerner.”

Further, Okupe expressed regret over the failure of former leaders like Ibrahim Babangida, Olusegun Obasanjo, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and TY Danjuma to nurture a younger generation of elite leaders.

He noted, “These are the individuals who have managed the political balance of this country for the past 25 years.”

“Unfortunately, and I regret to say this, they have not been able to cultivate a younger elite that can take over from them and continue on the platforms that have shaped our political landscape today.”