Former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso has reopened debate around Nigeria’s political power-sharing arrangement, saying the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua created lasting zoning confusion within the country’s democratic system. Kwankwaso also stated that he and his supporters received no political benefit after contributing significantly to Muhammadu Buhari’s 2015 presidential victory. The remarks were made during an interview on Arise Television, where the former governor reflected on Nigeria’s leadership transition since 1999 and ongoing discussions surrounding the 2027 presidency.
Kwankwaso, now a leading figure within the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, said the country’s informal zoning structure became destabilised following Yar’Adua’s death in office in 2010. According to him, the situation disrupted the political understanding that presidential power would rotate between the North and South after every two terms.
He explained that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s succession after Yar’Adua’s death introduced disagreements around whether the North had fully completed its expected tenure within the zoning framework. Kwankwaso described that period as the beginning of persistent zoning confusion in Nigeria’s political arrangement.
The former Kano governor argued that restoring the presidency to Southern Nigeria in 2027 would help stabilise the political system and reduce tensions surrounding regional power balance. He said, “We believe the best way to go now is to take it to the south so that we can eliminate the confusion.”
Reflecting on the 2015 elections, Kwankwaso stated that he played a major role in delivering electoral support for Muhammadu Buhari during the APC presidential contest. He claimed his political structure in Kano contributed nearly two million votes to Buhari’s victory at the polls.
Kwankwaso, who finished second during the APC presidential primaries before endorsing Buhari, said neither he nor his supporters benefited politically from the administration that followed. According to him, members of his political movement remained excluded despite their contribution to the election victory.
The comments have generated renewed political debate because of Kwankwaso’s growing involvement in opposition coalition discussions ahead of the 2027 elections. Observers note that his statements also reflect continuing dissatisfaction among some former APC stakeholders regarding political appointments and party power distribution after Buhari assumed office. The issue of zoning confusion has increasingly become central to ongoing conversations among political parties and regional blocs preparing for the next presidential election cycle.
Kwankwaso’s remarks come amid intensifying discussions over whether the presidency should remain in the South after President Bola Tinubu’s first term or rotate back to the North. Political stakeholders across several parties continue debating how zoning arrangements could affect coalition-building and electoral competitiveness ahead of 2027.
Analysts believe the former governor’s comments may further influence opposition calculations, especially among northern political actors seeking broader alliances before party primaries begin. The debate surrounding zoning confusion also reflects wider concerns about equity, inclusion, and regional balance within Nigeria’s democratic structure.
For political parties, zoning remains closely tied to candidate selection strategy, regional negotiations, and voter mobilisation. Stakeholders argue that unresolved disagreements over rotation could deepen divisions within major parties ahead of the elections. Kwankwaso’s intervention additionally highlights how historical political transitions continue shaping current electoral conversations more than a decade after Yar’Adua’s death.
