The South-North Progressive Forum, a political advocacy group, has launched a nationwide campaign to promote power rotation in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general elections. The group is calling for the presidency to be zoned to the southern part of the country to address a historic power imbalance and foster national unity.
According to Comrade Festus Onyekwulisi, Chairman of the SNPF, the group’s mission is to ensure that the idea of power rotation is widely accepted by citizens across the country. Onyekwulisi presented a data-driven case for equitable power rotation, highlighting the disparity in the number of years the North and South have held the presidency since 1957. The North has held the presidency for 24 years, compared to the South’s 18 years.
The SNPF is urging the National Assembly to enact laws formalizing power rotation for elective positions and calling on all political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the South in 2027. The group believes that this is necessary to reinforce the principles of fairness, federal character, and national cohesion.
Onyekwulisi emphasized that the group’s vision is to create a Nigeria where no group dominates, but every section has a genuine sense of belonging. The SNPF plans to mobilize a minimum of 10 million votes to ensure the emergence of a southern President in 2027. The group has already appointed coordinators across the country and is running simultaneous sensitization programs to combat voter apathy and electoral malpractices.
The SNPF has also introduced a new political philosophy termed ‘Rightful Defection’, which allows its non-partisan members to freely support a southern candidate of their choice, based on competence and equity, irrespective of official party affiliations. Onyekwulisi clarified that the group’s focus is on patriotism, national integration, equity, peace, and progress, rather than politics.
As the 2027 elections approach, the SNPF’s campaign is likely to have a significant impact on the country’s political landscape. The group’s efforts to promote power rotation and national unity may help to address the historic power imbalance and foster a more equitable distribution of power in Nigeria.
