Former members of Nigeria’s federal and state legislatures have renewed calls for the rotation of the presidency between the North and the South to be formally incorporated into the Constitution, arguing that such a move would deepen trust, ease political tension and reinforce national cohesion.
The call was among key resolutions adopted at the 2026 National Summit of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), held in Abuja on Saturday under the theme “National Unity and Nation Building: Beyond 2031.”
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In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the Forum said constitutionalising rotational leadership would remove ambiguity around power-sharing, entrench fairness and provide long-term stability for future electoral cycles.
The group maintained that clear constitutional rules would strengthen inclusion and democratic balance in Africa’s most populous country.
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The former lawmakers also reaffirmed their interpretation of the existing political understanding that power should move back to the North in 2031, after the conclusion of the current southern presidency led by President Bola Tinubu.
In the same vein, they endorsed the continuation of the administration’s reform agenda and insisted that democratic stability required President Tinubu to complete the full eight-year tenure traditionally associated with a southern turn.
At the summit, the Forum passed a vote of absolute confidence in the Tinubu administration and adopted the president as its sole preferred candidate for the 2027 general election.
It further reiterated its belief in dialogue, consultation and peaceful engagement as the most effective means of addressing Nigeria’s political, social and regional challenges.
Gbajabiamila backs rotation, warns against ambition
Delivering the keynote address, the Chief of Staff to the President and convener of the summit, Femi Gbajabiamila, lent his support to the principle of rotational presidency, describing it as a pragmatic compromise designed to manage Nigeria’s diversity and preserve stability.
He cautioned that personal ambition should not be allowed to erode arrangements that sustain national unity, urging Nigerians across political, ethnic and regional lines to recommit to unity as a strategic necessity rather than a sentimental ideal.
“The principle of a rotational presidency between North and South stands as one of the clearest expressions of principled compromise in the service of our national interest,” he said.
He also cautioned against the mobilisation of ethnic, tribal or religious identity as a shortcut to power, warning that such tactics may offer short-term political gains but inflict long-term damage on national cohesion.
Mr Gbajabiamila said the summit was convened against a backdrop of global uncertainty, where established norms were under strain and international stability was weakening. Such a moment, he said, required seasoned leadership and reflective national conversation.
“We meet at a moment when the world appears unsettled and uncertain of its direction. Long-standing assumptions are being questioned, familiar certainties are eroding, and the global environment is becoming more volatile,” Mr Gbajabiamila said. “Yet it is precisely in moments such as these that leadership is most needed.”
According to him, Mr Tinubu continues to draw strength from the collective experience and institutional memory of former legislators as he pursues the objectives of the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He described the NFFL as a national asset whose members actively shaped defining moments in Nigeria’s democratic journey and whose experience should inform present and future decisions.
Explaining the choice of the theme, Mr Gbajabiamila said the focus on “beyond 2031” was a reminder that nation-building is a continuous process that transcends individual administrations. He referenced the Constitution’s commitment to unity and harmony, stressing that national unity is both a duty and a trust.
Drawing from his legislative background, he said the National Assembly exemplifies unity in practice, where differences are debated and reconciled in pursuit of the national interest. Unity, he added, does not demand uniformity, but cooperation despite diversity.
“Unity does not require the erasure of difference,” he said. “It does not demand that we abandon our identities in order to work together.”
On foreign relations, Mr Gbajabiamila warned that Nigeria is perceived globally as a single entity, noting that internal divisions weaken its ability to negotiate, project strength and safeguard its interests. With the post-Second World War global order increasingly fragmented, he said unity at home would determine whether Nigeria is weakened by change or positioned to benefit from it.
He cautioned that prolonged internal divisions would deepen insecurity and transmit instability across generations, insisting that unity underpins economic resilience, national security and international credibility.
While expressing confidence in Mr Tinubu’s leadership and commitment to fairness and inclusion, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, stressed that the responsibility for unity extends beyond the government. Former legislators and political leaders, he said, must shape public discourse, model restraint and resist the mobilisation of ethnic or religious identity for short-term political gain.
He highlighted administration initiatives aimed at fostering inclusion, including the establishment of development commissions across all six geopolitical zones, nationwide infrastructure projects such as the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road and the Sokoto–Badagry Highway, the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme, student loan schemes and health interventions.
On security, he said ongoing reforms were intended to improve coordination and ensure equal protection for all citizens, while encouraging constructive civic engagement that does not undermine national harmony.
Mr Gbajabiamila concluded by urging participants to leave the summit resolved to lead differently, choosing cooperation over division and persuasion over provocation, and offered prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity and prosperity.
Forum officials echo unity call
National Coordinator of the summit, Raphael Igbokwe, also called for renewed commitment to peaceful coexistence and the formal codification of rotational power sharing between the North and South.
He said the summit provided a “platform for former legislators to reflect on Nigeria’s stability and future beyond 2031,” describing the NFFL as a peace-oriented, public interest body dedicated to an inclusive and prosperous nation.
Mr Igbokwe recalled that earlier regional dialogues organised by the Forum had affirmed the need for the South to complete its eight-year tenure in the interest of unity, adding that Mr Tinubu should be supported to conclude the southern presidency.
He identified power struggles as a major source of conflict in the country and argued that constitutional backing for rotation would reduce suspicion and foster trust among Nigeria’s diverse groups.
He also urged stronger action against insecurity, including the prosecution of sponsors of terrorism, while appealing for public support for security agencies and greater tolerance across ethnic and religious lines.
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On political reforms, he called for former legislators to be recognised as statutory delegates at party conventions and urged the government to address the welfare of ageing ex-lawmakers, particularly from the Second and Third Republics.
Former Senate President and Chairperson of the summit, Ken Nnamani, said ex-legislators have a duty to educate citizens on democratic succession and national unity, noting that many voters rely on political leaders for guidance rather than party structures.
He explained that the Abuja meeting, unlike earlier regional engagements, brought together participants from across the federation, reflecting a broader national focus.
Mr Nnaman commended Mr Gbajabiamila for sustaining the initiative and creating a forum for former legislators to contribute meaningfully to national discourse.
