Shehu Sani has said that Nigeria's rotational presidency would come to an end if Atiku Abubakar wins the 2027 presidential election. Channels Television reported the former senator's comment on Friday, September 25, 2026.
Sani's remark speaks to a power-sharing arrangement that has shaped Nigeria's presidential politics, in which the office has alternated between the country's northern and southern regions. Under that informal understanding, a victory for Atiku, a former vice president from the north, would disrupt the rotation.
The statement arrives as the 2027 race draws attention. Vanguard News reported that a "Tinubu-Must-Go" poll placed Atiku ahead of Obi and other contenders. The Guardian Nigeria News reported that the Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress described Atiku's 2027 bid as driven by personal ambition. LEADERSHIP Newspapers also published a piece titled "The 7th Bid Of Waziri," a reference to Atiku's repeated runs for the presidency.
Sani's comment ties the question of Atiku's candidacy to the broader debate over how Nigeria shares presidential power between its regions. The discussion remains at the level of political argument, with no change to the rotation arrangement reported.
What to watch next is whether other political figures take positions on the rotational presidency as the 2027 campaign takes shape.