The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other Northern presidential aspirants to respect the North-South power rotation arrangement, warning that disregard for the agreement could undermine national cohesion, fairness and democratic stability.
Akume said the principle of power rotation, which emerged from consultations among political leaders ahead of the return to democratic rule in 1999, remained critical to ensuring equitable access to the presidency and sustaining mutual trust among Nigeria’s diverse regions.
Atiku, who hails from the North-East, is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The SGF stated his position on Wednesday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM), Nigeria, led by its Supreme Knight, Sir Steve Adehi, according to a statement by Chris Ugwuegbulam, Head, Information and Public Relations SGF Office.
He recalled that the power-sharing understanding was reached in Kaduna in 1999 after extensive consultations among governors-elect elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other prominent political leaders.
According to him, the agreement was informed by concerns over the concentration of political power in one region and the need to guarantee fairness and inclusion in the country’s democratic process.
Akume explained that the arrangement provided for the presidency to alternate between the North and the South in eight-year cycles, beginning with the South, as a means of promoting political balance, strengthening mutual trust and safeguarding national unity.
He maintained that the arrangement had contributed to the continuity of democratic governance by providing a framework for managing Nigeria’s regional diversity and preventing any section of the country from feeling permanently excluded from the highest political office.
The SGF cautioned against treating power rotation as a temporary political convenience, describing it instead as an important political understanding anchored on fairness, mutual respect and national stability.
He particularly frowned on attempts by Northern aspirants to contest the presidency before the completion of the South’s current eight-year tenure.
Akume argued that, having completed eight years under former President Muhammadu Buhari, the North should allow the current Southern administration to complete its tenure before seeking a return to power.
He said respecting the arrangement would demonstrate political maturity and reinforce the principle that national interest should take precedence over individual political ambitions.
The SGF also called for a broader appreciation of the Federal Government’s development agenda, noting that ongoing reforms and investments should be assessed against both immediate economic challenges and the country’s long-term development needs.
He stressed that sustained collaboration among the Federal, State and Local Governments remained essential to addressing Nigeria’s challenges and improving citizens’ welfare.
Akume commended the Order of the Knights of St. Mulumba for its charitable interventions aimed at supporting vulnerable members of society.
Earlier, Adehi said the organisation had undertaken several humanitarian initiatives, including supporting medical treatment for patients, assisting inmates with outstanding financial obligations to facilitate their release from correctional facilities, providing boreholes, renovating schools and supporting hospitals.
He said the interventions were informed by the recognition that government alone could not meet the numerous social and economic needs of the population.
Adehi therefore called for greater collaboration among government, private organisations and community-based groups to alleviate poverty, improve living conditions and extend support to vulnerable Nigerians.
