POLITICAL RECIPROCITY, NATIONAL UNITY AND THE ETHICS OF JUSTICE: A BUHARIST CALL FOR FAIRNESS TO EVERY NIGERIAN

                Mallam Aliyu Hassan Ardo

BY ALIYU  HASSAN  ARDO

Nigeria’s democracy has always required more than the arithmetic of winning elections. In a country marked by different, though somewhat similar, regional, religious, ethnic and economic diversity, democratic stability depends on whether citizens believe that power is exercised fairly and that every part of the federation has a meaningful place in the national project. The debate about presidential rotation between the North and the South, the political relationship between and among regional grouping, and trust between and among leaders past and present and the citizens deserves a thoughtful, evidence-based reflection.

Since APC has announced presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna on 24 October 2026 it provides a timely occasion to reflect on these questions. The date was announced by the party’s Presidential Campaign Council Director-General, AbdulAziz Yari, and reported by Nigerian media (Channels Television, 2026). Kaduna is a fitting place to begin a national conversation because the city sits within a region central to Nigeria’s political history and to the challenge of building bridges across communities.

This piece considers political reciprocity as a question of public ethics, not as an automatic debt that determines how citizens must vote. It also argues that the most durable tribute to Buhari’s political legacy would be to strengthen national unity, respect legitimate political understandings, and practise justice and fairness across Nigeria

Politics of Rotation and Compromises 

Since, the return to civilian government in 1999, an informal understanding of North–South presidential rotation has played a significant role in party negotiations and political expectations. Accordingly, the North willingly conceded power to the South by not Fielding a candidate in the three Major political parties – Alliance for Democracy. All people Paty, and People Democratic Party- despite it is not a requirement written into the Constitution, and it has never operated as a perfectly automatic rule. Rather, it has functioned as a political convention intended to reduce fears of exclusion and encourage broad participation in the federation.

Olusegun Obasanjo, from the South, was elected president in 1999 and re-elected in 2003. Then to demonstrate faith in the system Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, from the North, succeeded him in 2007. Following Yar’Adua’s death in 2010, Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan assumed the presidency as a Constitutional requirement and contested the 2011 election under a concessional agreement with Northern Governors and Leaders. Jonathan’s candidacy produced a dispute within the governing People’s Democratic Party: some northern leaders argued that the presidency should return to the North, while other party figures supported Jonathan. The Congressional Research Service’s account of Nigeria’s political transition records the importance of this controversy and the wider context of the 2011 election (Congressional Research Service, 2013).

These events help explain why many Nigerians regard rotation as a matter of political trust and regional reassurance. Yet the historical record should be described accurately. It would be too broad to say that “the North” and or “The South “as a single bloc elected Obasanjo in 1999 and 2003 or Jonathan in 2011 as well as Buhari and Tinubu respectively. Nigerians voted in a national election, and views within the North, as within the South, were diverse. A fair point of view is that political leaders and voters from different regions participated in electoral coalitions that crossed regional lines, sometimes amid disagreements about rotation.

That history should encourage mutual recognition rather than the keeping of a ledger of regional sentiments. Cross-regional support can be acknowledged as part of Nigeria’s democratic experience, but no region is politically uniform and no citizen’s vote can be presumed to belong to a candidate because of geography. Ethnicity and religious affiliation if Nigeria Should progress. Respect for Sociocultural differences, Religious and geographical tolerance and accommodation might leapfrog our development  

Late Buhari and Tinubu political partnership

The political relationship between Muhammadu Buhari and Bola Ahmed Tinubu became especially significant with the formation of the APC in 2013. The party brought together different opposition groups and political networks, creating a coalition that defeated the incumbent PDP in the 2015 presidential election. Buhari went on to win a second term in 2019 all to the credit of the partnership, while Tinubu emerged as the APC’s presidential candidate for the 2023 election.

One important fact is documented clearly. On 15 November 2022, Buhari publicly endorsed the Tinubu–Shettima ticket at an APC campaign event in Jos and urged party members to work for the ticket’s success. The official State House account records his endorsement and his call for campaigning on the candidates’ abilities and issues (State House, 2022). Buhari subsequently congratulated Tinubu after the 2023 election.

It is therefore reasonable for Nigerians to discuss gratitude, political loyalty and continuity in light of Buhari’s public support for Tinubu. Some may interpret support for the continuation of the political partnership as a way of acknowledging that history. Others may emphasise the need to assess the current administration on its record, policies and effects on citizens. Both are recognisable elements of democratic debate and should have being the caveat.

What should be avoided is presenting speculation as fact. Buhari died in July 2025. His public endorsement in 2022 is verifiable and sufficient to establish the historical point. Respect for his legacy requires us to distinguish what he actually said from what others believe he might have said.

A lasting tribute to any former president should extend beyond the fortunes of a party. It should include the preservation of national cohesion, respect for institutions, and the willingness to place the public good above personal or factional advantage.

Islamic ethics provides a powerful framework for considering political loyalty and public responsibility. The Qur’an commands believers to stand firmly for justice, even when justice is personally inconvenient:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاءَ لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَىٰ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ

“O you who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even if it is against yourselves or your parents and relatives.” (Qur’an 4:135. The verse makes justice a principle that must not be surrendered to personal relationships, family ties or self-interest. Applied to politics, it means that gratitude for past support should not prevent fair scrutiny of present decisions. It also means that criticism of a political leader should be evidence-based rather than driven by prejudice or hostility.

For the APC, the lesson is direct: justice must be visible in how the party conducts it affairs, shares opportunities, treats its members, manages public responsibilities and listens to communities outside its strongest political base. A party that seeks national trust should demonstrate that citizens are valued because they are Nigerians, not merely because they belong to a favoured region, religion, ethnicity or faction. The Qur’an also warns against allowing hostility to undermine fairness:

وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ

“Do not let the hatred of a people cause you to be unjust. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness.” (Qur’an 5:8.).

This verse is particularly relevant in an election period, when political competition can tempt supporters to portray opponents as enemies. It calls for a different standard: disagreement should not erase a person’s rights, and electoral rivalry should not become an excuse for unfair treatment.

North–South rotation should therefore be discussed without insulting either region or suggesting that all northerners or all southerners think alike. The principle of fairness requires the APC to take regional concerns seriously while also recognising Nigeria’s internal diversity. It equally requires the opposition and all political actors to avoid stereotyping entire communities or leaders.

A united Nigeria does not require uniform political opinion. It requires institutions and leaders capable of managing disagreement fairly and peacefully.

Qur’an 16:90 states that Allah commands justice, excellence in conduct and generosity. The verse is widely recited in Muslim communities because it connects moral integrity with the treatment of other people. In public life, its message points towards fair administration, compassion, responsible leadership and the protection of the common good.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also emphasised trustworthiness and keeping promises. Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah said: “The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays the trust” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 33)

This hadith underscores the seriousness of honesty and fidelity to legitimate commitments. Its political implication is in a broader lesson political leaders should speak honestly, honour legitimate commitments, protect public trust and avoid making promises they do not intend to fulfil. The APC should apply this standard to its own conduct, its public statements and its treatment of citizens

A common argument in the rotation debate is that the South should have the opportunity to complete an expected eight-year presidential turn before the presidency returns to the North. Support for this view is that continuity as a way of respecting the informal convention and reducing regional anxiety offers Nigeria’s unity and democratic stability. Otherwise the performance of the administration, the quality of candidates and the constitutional right of voters to choose should remain decisive.

The Constitution permits a president to serve no more than two elected four-year terms; it does not guarantee a second term because of regional identity or party agreement. However, the rotation convention may shape political expectations, but it is not legally enforceable in the same way as a constitutional provision. Research on Nigeria’s political settlement has examined the importance of informal power-sharing norms while recognising the complicated relationship between formal rules and political practice (African Affairs 2020).

A democratic discussion can acknowledge the importance of rotation without treating it as the only consideration in an election. It can also recognise that national unity requires more than alternating office between two broad regions. It requires equitable development, credible institutions, security, employment, access to education and healthcare, and fair treatment for communities across the federation.

For the APC, the most persuasive response to concerns about fairness is not simply to invoke past alliances alone. It is to show, through policy and conduct, that the party is committed to the welfare of all Nigeria

As the APC prepares for its campaign flag-off in Kaduna on 24 October 2026, the party has an opportunity to set a tone of national inclusion. The campaign should not be reduced to a contest of regional numbers or an appeal to historical debts. It should communicate a practical vision for a country in which every region can see evidence of fairness and every citizen can participate without fear of exclusion.

The party should make clear commitments that can be measured. These include transparent and equitable access to public opportunities; fair treatment of party members across states and regions; a credible approach to security and conflict prevention; policies that address the cost of living and employment; economics, health, Education and public reporting on progress and setbacks. Fairness is most credible when citizens can observe it in institutions, budgets, services and everyday dealings with government.

The APC should also resist language that turns political disagreement into regional hostility. The North is not a single political person, nor is the South. Each contains different communities, interests and opinions. National leadership requires listening to these differences and building practical coalitions around shared needs.

Finally, the party should regard justice not merely as a campaign slogan but as a Covenant obligation. Qur’an 4:135 and 5:8 are reminders that fairness is required even when it is difficult or politically inconvenient. If the party wishes to build durable national confidence, it should apply these principles to allies and critics alike

Nigeria needs neither blind loyalty nor permanent suspicion between its regions. It needs political actors who honor history, speak truthfully, govern fairly and recognize that every Nigerian deserves dignity, opportunity and justice.

Aliyu H Ardo

Member Nigerian Institute of Public Relation. And Islamic Economist