As the 2027 presidential race draws closer, political tension is already mounting across Nigeria. Various pressure groups, political insiders, and advocacy movements are urging some of the country’s top political figures to step aside and allow a new generation of leaders to emerge.
Calls for a generational shift, regional balance, and political stability have dominated the national conversation — with familiar names like Atiku Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan, Bala Mohammed, and even President Bola Tinubu coming under pressure not to contest.
Below is a rundown of the key figures told to sit out the 2027 presidential race:
1. Atiku Abubakar — PDP Pressure Group Says “Step Aside”
A leading faction within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), known as the Concerned PDP League (CPDPL), has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to drop any presidential ambition in 2027.
In a communiqué issued in Abuja and signed by CPDPL’s National Secretary, Alhaji Tasiu Muhammed, and Acting Director of Publicity, Gbenga Adedamola, the group said Atiku’s withdrawal would help maintain party unity and prevent a repeat of internal crises that affected the PDP in 2015 and 2023.
They further argued that the South should complete its eight-year turn before power returns to the North in 2031 — a move they believe will strengthen political balance and national stability.
2. Bala Mohammed — Advised to Wait Until 2031
The Bauchi State Governor and current Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, was also advised by the CPDPL to delay his presidential ambition until 2031.
According to the group, any early push by northern politicians could destabilize the party’s zoning arrangement and worsen regional tensions.
The group urged him to respect the principle of rotation and focus on consolidating governance in his state.
3. Goodluck Jonathan — “Don’t Run Again,” Eastern Union Warns
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has also been cautioned against returning to the 2027 race.
The Eastern Union (EU), a regional pressure group led by Charles Anike, said Jonathan should not allow political opportunists to use him for their personal agendas.
“The motives of those urging and projecting him are wrong,” Anike warned. “If Jonathan contests again, it will damage his hard-earned reputation and diminish his legacy.”
The group maintained that Nigeria needs fresh ideas and youthful energy — not a recycling of old faces.
4. Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed to Tinubu: “Don’t Seek Re-election”
Labour Party’s former vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has openly called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to seek re-election in 2027.
Speaking on Arise TV, Baba-Ahmed said Nigerians would not tolerate “another four years of hardship,” adding that Tinubu’s administration has failed to deliver genuine democratic dividends.
“I expect Tinubu to throw in the towel. If he is that smart a politician, he will know when to quit,” he said, describing Tinubu’s 2023 victory as a “culmination of electoral manipulation.”
Meanwhile: Tinubu Reportedly Considering New INEC Chairman
In related political developments, reports suggest that President Tinubu is considering Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN) as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following the expected retirement of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on November 8, 2025.
Amupitan, a respected legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria since 2014, is said to be one of Tinubu’s preferred candidates for the top electoral role.
With 2027 on the horizon, Nigeria’s political climate is heating up fast. Calls for generational change and respect for regional balance are reshaping the landscape — as citizens and groups alike demand a new era of leadership focused on development, transparency, and true democracy.
