Yusuf made the declaration on Saturday during the inauguration of the national headquarters of Arewa for Asiwaju (A4A), a political coalition campaigning for Tinubu’s re-election, in Abuja.
The governor argued that an agreement reportedly reached between political leaders in 1999 provided for power to alternate between the North and South, with each region producing the president for two consecutive terms.
According to him, the arrangement was observed during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who served two terms between 2015 and 2023.
Yusuf maintained that the understanding should be respected, despite not being enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
“Arewa will support the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 100 per cent,” he said at the event, which was attended by political leaders and elders.
The Kano governor said the reported agreement remained relevant to the country’s political arrangements and should not be abandoned ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“We don’t have any cause to now violate that promise, even though it is not constitutional. I can say it is a constitution of common sense. Common sense dictates that we respect this mutual agreement,” Yusuf said.
He presented the position as a matter of political understanding and mutual respect between the country’s two major regions rather than a constitutional obligation.
The Nigerian Constitution does not prescribe a two-term rotational presidency between the North and South. The principle of zoning and power rotation has instead featured in political negotiations and party arrangements over the years.
Speaking on behalf of northern states, political democrats and what he described as patriotic northerners, Yusuf assured Tinubu of their support ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also praised the president’s performance in office, declaring that Tinubu had “done exceedingly well”.
The governor’s comments signal support for the president’s re-election campaign from the political coalition’s platform, although the extent of northern backing will ultimately be determined by voters at the polls.
The North comprises several states with diverse political interests, meaning that the region’s electoral choices will depend on party affiliations, local political dynamics and voters’ assessments of the candidates.
With the 2027 election approaching, Yusuf’s declaration adds to the growing political debate over regional alliances, power rotation and the contest for the presidency.
