By Lateef Ibrahim
A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Ali Modu Sheriff has said the North is unlikely to support the presidential ambition of Peter Obi in the 2027 election, while advising Atiku Abubakar to defer his presidential ambition until 2031.
Speaking on a Channels Television programme, monitored in Abuja, Sheriff argued that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should be allowed to complete a second term in office, maintaining that the presidency should remain in the South for eight years.
He also dismissed Obi’s chances of securing widespread northern support, claiming that many voters in the region remain dissatisfied over issues dating back to Obi’s tenure as governor of Anambra State.
According to Sheriff, some supporters of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso have expressed reservations about any alliance that would see the former Kano governor running alongside Obi, insisting they would rather support Kwankwaso as a presidential candidate than as a running mate.
While acknowledging Atiku’s experience and leadership credentials, Sheriff maintained that 2027 is not the North’s turn to produce Nigeria’s president, arguing that the region should wait until after Tinubu’s expected eight-year tenure before seeking to reclaim the presidency.
