Former Borno State Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Ali Modu Sheriff has disclosed one reason Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will not emerge as president.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, he said that it is the turn of the South to produce Nigeria’s president.

He said the north won't support Atiku’s bid because of an unwritten power-sharing arrangement among Nigeria’s political leaders.

According to him, the understanding reached after the civil war was aimed at ensuring regional balance in the country’s leadership.

“After the civil war our leaders have said that there will no longer be this situation in Nigeria, there is a regional agreement. For Atiku, it’s not our time now. He is on his own because it is the turn for the South. Buhari just finished 8 years,” Sheriff said. Nigerianpolitical analysis

“If Atiku wants to be president he can wait, he is a leader in Northern Nigeria, he is eminently qualified but it is not our time now, he has to wait till 2031. That is the time for the North, for now, it is time for the South.”

The former governor expressed confidence that President Bola Tinubu would secure a second term in office in 2027, although he stressed that the APC would not be complacent ahead of the election.

Sheriff also dismissed the presidential ambition of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate, Peter Obi, saying the former Anambra State governor would not enjoy support from Northern voters.

“I am not worried about Peter Obi at all because I know that Northerners will never vote for Peter Obi,” he said. Politics

When reminded that Obi secured substantial votes in states such as Nasarawa and Plateau during the 2023 presidential election, Sheriff argued that the political landscape had changed.

“The situation is different now, you know why? Peter Obi when he was a governor chased all the Northerners out of Anambra State,” he alleged.