Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai has clarified that the Northern States Governors' Forum did not oppose the presidency going to the south in 2023, rather it is against the language and tone used in the resolution of the southern governors on the issue of power shift.

He said that northern governors were alarmed that their counterparts from the south used the word 'must' in their push  for power shift to the south after President Muhammadu Buhari's tenure in 2023.

El-Rufai stated that the word 'must' is at variance with democracy which is characterised by negotiations and horse-trading by parties involved, often out of public glare.
The governor recalled that he and "some other northern governors had earlier called for power shift in 2023 in their individual capacities in order to foster national unity and togetherness'', adding that "I was called names by our people for making that call."