The South-North Progressive Forum, or SNPF, is a political advocacy group that has launched a national campaign for power rotation ahead of the general elections in 2027.
The Forum is calling for the official zoning of the president to the southern region of Nigeria in order to address a long-standing power disparity and promote national cohesion.
Comrade Festus Onyekwulisi, the SNPF’s chairman, gave a speech to reporters in Abuja on Sunday, outlining the organization’s goal and making a fact-based argument for a fair distribution of power between the North and South.
“The zoning of the 2027 presidency to the South,” Onyekwulisi said, “is not enough for a few political elites to agree to; there needs to be a conscious mobilization to ensure that millions of citizens across the southern states as well as the 19 northern states actively buy into this idea and we are quietly leading the building of a national consensus that would impact the voting process in 2027.”
Additionally, the National Assembly is being urged by the SNPF to pass legislation establishing a formal power rotation system for political offices.
The group is also calling on all political parties to support zoning to the south in 2027 for the sake of national stability, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has not yet zoned its presidential ticket.
The SPNF leader said, “As the 2027 elections approach, the South-North Progressive Forum is establishing itself as a strong, issue-based movement committed to making sure that the next election is fought on the principles of equity and justice, potentially reshaping the nation’s political landscape.”
Drawing on Nigeria’s democratic history since 1957, Onyekwulisi exposed a glaring discrepancy: the North has occupied the presidency for a total of 24 years, while the South has done so for just 18.
In 2027, he maintained, granting the South another four-year term is a vital move to strengthen the values of justice, federal character, and national cohesion, not a matter of political favor.
In order to maintain peace in the country, he said, “this is not just about politics; it is about national integration, equity, justice, and fairness; it is about ensuring national cohesion; our vision is a Nigeria where no group dominates but where every section has a genuine sense of belonging.”
The SPNF claims that in addition to advocacy, it intends to mobilize at least 10 million votes in order to guarantee the election of a southern president in 2027.
Onyekwulisi stated that the organization has already appointed coordinators nationwide and established a structure for mobilization.
The group is conducting parallel awareness activities to counteract voter indifference and the threat of electoral malpractices, Onyekwulisi added, warning that politicians who intend to use hunger, insecurity, or religious and ethnic sentiments as weapons will be let down in 2027.
“The 2027 election will not be politics as usual; any politician who tries to pressure Nigerians will fail miserably, and Nigerians will vote with their consciences,” he declared. “Those antics have ended.”
The introduction of a new political philosophy known as “Rightful Defection” is a distinctive aspect of the SNPF’s strategy, according to Onyekwulisi. He claims that this concept gives its non-partisan members the freedom to freely support a southern candidate of their choice, based on competence and equity, regardless of their official party affiliations.
Onyekwulisi responded, “This is not about politics, this is about patriotism, this is about national integration, this is about equity, peace, and the progress of Nigeria,” when asked if the organization is thinking about becoming a political party.
