Presidency: Northern youths insist on 2031 return to North

From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja

A coalition of Northern youth groups under the umbrella of the Northern Youth Frontiers (NYF) has thrown its weight behind the current North-South power rotation arrangement, insisting that the North should wait until 2031 to reclaim the presidency.

The group also rejected all forms of interim political deals and one-term arrangements, declaring that Northern Nigeria must not sacrifice its future for short-term political gains.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Chairman, Sama Musa, the coalition said political stability and national unity require that the South be allowed to complete its traditional two-term tenure before power returns to the North.

According to the group, the region should use the period to search for and groom a world-class presidential candidate capable of addressing modern governance challenges.

“We are making this concession deliberately, out of political maturity and a desire for national stability,” Musa stated.

The coalition, which said it represents youth organisations across the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stressed that the North must resist what it described as “transactional politics” and focus on long-term regional development.

NYF specifically rejected the idea of supporting a Northern candidate who would serve only one term before handing power back to the South, describing it as a setback to the region’s strategic interests.

It also opposed any arrangement involving a new Southern candidate serving a single term on the promise of transferring power to a Northerner.
“We are completely against the idea of supporting a short-term Northern candidate who will serve only one term and be forced by national dynamics to hand power back to the South.

“We equally reject any political permutation that introduces a fresh Southern candidate who will serve only one term, promising a hand-over to a Northerner. Neither of these options sits well with us,” the statement said.

The group maintained that the North’s next turn at the presidency should begin in 2031 and run for a full eight years.
“The time for the North to take over is 2031, straight eight years, Insha Allah,” Musa declared.

NYF further stated that Northern youths are looking beyond traditional politics and are seeking a leader with competence in digital economy, industrialisation, security reforms, education and job creation.

The coalition announced plans to begin nationwide consultations aimed at identifying and supporting what it described as a “stellar, elite-level presidential material” for the future.

“The future of Northern Nigeria cannot be gambled away. The search for a 21st-century leader begins now,” the group stated.