By Christopher Sunday
In every society that must grow, there must first be truth. And in every nation that seeks peace, there must first be justice. The soul of Nigeria has long been wounded by the dangerous politics of division—one driven not by merit, equity, or patriotism, but by the fear of power slipping into unfamiliar hands. The idea that certain regions must never fully surrender to the leadership of others is a mindset that has kept our nation rotating in a cycle of suspicion, underdevelopment, and aborted possibilities.
The time has come to confront, not with sentiment but with sense, the political arrogance that sees the rise of Southern leadership as a threat to Northern dominance. No region, no people, and no tribe was ordained by God to permanently hold the steering wheel of a country built on the blood and sacrifices of many.
The recent posture of the ADC coalition—a group that claims to be pan-Nigerian—has sent unsettling signals. The language, the body movements, and the silent endorsements suggest that some elements within the Northern political class remain uncomfortable with the idea of a Southerner occupying the topmost seat in the land. Their tendency to disrupt, undermine, or truncate such leadership is no longer a conspiracy—it is an observable pattern.
Let’s not forget history. From Chief MKO Abiola to Goodluck Jonathan, and now President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Southern leadership in Nigeria has always been met with political resistance, sabotage, or hostility from the same corridors that claim to fight for democracy. This pattern, if left unchallenged, will solidify a dangerous narrative: that Nigeria belongs more to some than to others. This is morally reprehensible. It is also politically short-sighted. A nation cannot rise when a section believes it is born to rule, while the rest must bow to survive.
President Muhammadu Buhari, a Northerner, completed his two constitutionally guaranteed terms of eight years without interference. No Southern coalition or party rose with the singular aim to truncate his rule midway—even in the face of economic hardship, insecurity, and policy missteps. That was the test of democracy, and the South passed it.
Now, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu from the South is only in his first tenure, yet a northern-dominated bloc is already stirring the waters, preparing to reclaim power under the guise of patriotism. This is unjust. If the ADC or any opposition group believes Tinubu’s administration is impoverishing Nigeria, the democratic thing to do is to challenge him at the ballot box and replace him with a better candidate from the South. That is what equity, fairness, and justice demand. Not to drag power back to the North under the assumption that governance is their permanent birthright.
Nigeria is not a chessboard for regional dominance. It is a nation that must work for all—not just for those who have historically held sway.
If the ADC coalition claims to stand for national progress, unity, and equity, now is the time to prove it. Let the coalition zone its presidential ticket to the South—not as a gift, but as a moral obligation and a democratic imperative. Zoning the presidency to the South in 2027 would send a clear message: that the ADC believes in fairness, not feudalism; inclusion, not imposition.
It is not enough to chant “One Nigeria” at conferences while suppressing the political aspirations of over half the country. True nationalism must be tested when it is most inconvenient. Let it be clear: no credible democracy exists where power becomes the inheritance of a particular zone. Nigeria is not a caliphate, not a kingdom, but a republic—and in a republic, power must rotate, not concentrate.
We cannot continue to suppress Southern aspiration to preserve Northern ego. We cannot keep denying justice and expect peace. What Nigeria needs now is healing—and healing can only come through honesty and fairness.
If the ADC wants to lead Nigeria, let it first learn to reflect Nigeria. And to reflect Nigeria is to respect all its parts—North, South, East, and West. The time to end selective entitlement is now.
Let the ADC zone its presidential ticket to the South—not for politics, but for posterity.
Christopher Sunday
Writes from Lokoja, Kogi State
Political philosopher and public affairs analyst
