Posted by Chinenye on Tue 07th Jul, 2026 - tori.ng
Former Borno State Governor Ali Modu Sheriff has weighed in on Nigeria's 2027 political landscape with bold claims about the chances of two major opposition figures.
(Ali Modu Sheriff. Photo by The Sun Nigeria)
Former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, has said the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, should wait until 2031 to become Nigeria's president, arguing that President Bola Tinubu will complete his eight-year term.
Sheriff also stated that the North will not throw its weight behind the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, despite his choice of Rabiu Kwankwaso as running mate.
Speaking on a television interview on Monday night, Sheriff maintained that the North would never vote for Obi.
According to him, he was not worried about Obi's chances because Northerners would never support him.
He claimed that during Obi's time as governor, he worked to push Northerners out of Anambra State, and that this was the message being passed to Kwankwaso by people in Kano.
He said such supporters insisted they had always stood by Kwankwaso and would continue to do so should he run for president, but warned they would withdraw their support if he aligned himself with Obi.
On Atiku, Sheriff argued that it was not yet the North's turn, describing him as a well-respected and highly qualified leader who nonetheless had to wait until 2031.
He explained his position by noting that a previous northern president had already completed eight years in office, meaning it was now the South's turn to produce the president.