Former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has said he does not support the idea of a northern president in the 2027 election. He believes the South should be allowed to finish its turn in the power-sharing agreement that rotates leadership between the North and South.

Speaking to journalists in Makurdi on Thursday, July 10, Ortom reacted to claims by some political leaders who think only a northern candidate can defeat President Bola Tinubu in the next election. He clearly disagreed with this idea.

Ortom said he still stands with the South producing the next president. He added that even if his own party, the PDP, picks someone to run for president in 2027, that person should come from the South.

He stressed that the South should complete its full eight years in power and said he is completely against any northern candidate running for president in 2027.

Ortom mentioned that although not written in the constitution, there is a general agreement that the North and South should each take turns ruling for eight years. He said anything different is not fair and could affect the unity of the country.

He reminded everyone that Tinubu, who is from the South, became president in 2023 after Buhari, from the North, ruled from 2015 to 2023. This, according to Ortom, is the kind of balance the country needs to remain stable.

On the issue of opposition unity, Ortom made it clear that the PDP is not planning to merge with any other political group, including those under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). He said there is currently no plan for a coalition.

Ortom explained that politics is about interests, not personal feelings. So what people are seeing now with different parties talking and meeting is part of how politics works and is not unusual.

Although he doesn’t believe in forming any political coalition at the moment, Ortom said the PDP may still decide to work with other groups in the future if necessary.