₦airaland Forum

The Presidency on Thursday advised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to jettison any idea to contest the 2027 presidential poll.

It insisted that it is the turn of the South under Nigeria’s established power rotation arrangement to still produce the president next year.

Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, made the advice in a post on his verified X handle, where he criticised Atiku’s renewed presidential ambition as a “self-serving” move that violates the North-South zoning principle.

According to him, Atiku’s position, as expressed during a recent television interview, undermines a political convention that has helped stabilise Nigeria’s democracy since 1999.

Atiku, one of the main contenders for the presidential ticket of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), while speaking during the interview on ARISE TV Wednesday, said he would be contesting for the office of the president for the last time in 2027.

Onanuga wrote: “This Atiku will never learn,” accusing him of attempting to “disrupt Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement”.

He recalled that during the 2023 election cycle, Atiku, then a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ignored the party’s zoning tradition by contesting to succeed a fellow northerner who had completed two terms in office.

That decision, he stressed, led to internal divisions within the PDP culminating in Atiku’s defeat at the polls.

“His ambition fractured the PDP, leading to his resounding defeat at the polls,” Onanuga said, adding that the former vice-president appears set to “repeat history” in 2027.

He further faulted Atiku’s argument that he is not bound by zoning because, in his view, the South has held power longer than the North since 1999.

Describing the claim as “dubious political arithmetic,” Onanuga argued that the imbalance cited by Atiku was the result of extraordinary circumstances, particularly the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in office, which led to the succession of then Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan.

He maintained that such an occurrence does not invalidate the informal but widely observed power-sharing arrangement between the two regions.

Onanuga stressed that following the completion of eight years in office by former President Muhammadu Buhari, it is only equitable for President Bola Tinubu, a southerner, to complete his own tenure.

“Since Buhari completed his eight years, Tinubu too must complete his own,” he said.

The presidential spokesman further urged Atiku to “bury the thought of running again”, warning that another attempt at the presidency would end in “spectacular failure”.

givedemwotowoto:
Tinubu knows if Atiku is on the ballot, most Northerners will vote for Atiku.

Even with Buhari being President and endorsing Tinubu in 2023, Atiku won in Katsina state, and also the NE in general despite Shettima being from the region.

With Peter Obi’s support, Atiku will floor Tinubu in the South as well.

If the candidate was Peter Obi, he’ll definitely floor Tinubu in the South. With Atiku’s support and Kwankwaso being on the ballot, plus big players like El Rufai and Tambuwal putting in their weights, opposition will match Tinubu strength to strength and he’ll be on his way back to Bourdillon

SmartPolician:
The dynamics have changed. If you think that most states in Southern Nigeria will vote for an Atiku/Obi presidency after Buhari wasted 8 years in power, think again. The South, where most of the resources used to run this country come from, doesn't live to serve northerners.

We know that a Nigerian Vice President is useless. Southern Nigeria deserves 8 years in power and I assure you that the ticket will find it difficult to beat Tinubu now.

Sheuns:
Is Atiku in your party?

Why did APC not respect PDP and Jonathan in 2015 and field a southerner to contest against Goodluck?

SmartPolician:
The dynamics have changed. If you think that most states in Southern Nigeria will vote for an Atiku/Obi presidency after Buhari wasted 8 years in power, think again.

The South, where most of the resources used to run this country come from, doesn't live to serve northerners.

We know that a Nigerian Vice President is useless. Southern Nigeria deserves 8 years in power and I assure you that the ticket will find it difficult to beat Tinubu now.

givedemwotowoto:
Tinubu knows if Atiku is on the ballot, most Northerners will vote for Atiku.

Even with Buhari being President and endorsing Tinubu in 2023, Atiku won in Katsina state, and also the NE in general despite Shettima being from the region.

With Peter Obi’s support, Atiku will floor Tinubu in the South as well.

If the candidate was Peter Obi, he’ll definitely floor Tinubu in the South. With Atiku’s support and Kwankwaso being on the ballot, plus big players like El Rufai and Tambuwal putting in their weights, opposition will match Tinubu strength to strength and he’ll be on his way back to Bourdillon

saintopus:
Why did Tinubu not support Obi in 2023 knowing quite well that the SE is the only region yet to taste the presidency in the South?

At least for equity and justice!

saintopus:
Why did Tinubu not support Obi in 2023 knowing quite well that the SE is the only region yet to taste the presidency in the South?

At least for equity and justice!

saddler:
Who established the Rotation?

TokoEkambi:
So Tinubu should leave his own party and support obi from another party to satisfy your tribalistic yearnings? Tinubu that wanted to be president should jettison his ambition and support some random guy to satisfy you unsatisfiable lot? Is reasoning and logic some form of taboo to you guys?

saddler:
Who established the Rotation?

DoTheNeedful:
I understand if you are asking this question as a Northerner. If you are not, then you must either be naive or silly!

Nastrademus:
This people know something we don't know, at this point I'm considering supporting Atiku over Obi, maybe Obi should deputize Atiku
Onanuga have been barking, Bwala have been gloating while tinubu have been spewing gibberish since the Atiku Interview

jmoore:
Did Tinubu respect power rotation?
Obasanjo from southwest became a president..So Tinubu should not have contested 2023 elections till other southern regions have produced theirs.

WizardOfNG:
Why should Tinubu support Igbos in 2023? Did any Igbo, individually or as a group, approach Tinubu amicably to seek his assistance?

How did Igbos go about their demand to "taste the Presidency"? With insults, blackmail, curses, large scale support for Kanu/IPOB and politics of hate/bitterness against Yorubas.

Any reasonable adult will agree rotation of power is between North and South. It is not Igbos alone who have not "tasted" power out of many ethnic groups of the South.

If Igbos wish to be the flagbearer during the slot of the South, they work and negotiate for it especially on the aspect of things related to bridge-building.

Blackmail, conflict, coups, war, insurrection, insults and threats, which is their historical default tool to seek what they want, will not give them the Presidential ticket when it is the turn of the South.

As things stand, I will be supporting the SS when it is the turn of the South in 2039 because, in the spirit of aura for aura and energy for energy, what Igbos have shown Yorubas clearly make it obvious they do not mean us well and would always seek options that is punitive to the wellbeing and progress of Yorubas.

jmoore:
Did Tinubu respect power rotation?
Obasanjo from southwest became a president..So Tinubu should not have contested 2023 elections till other southern regions have produced theirs.

DoTheNeedful:
Tinubu losing 2027 election would not be the end of the world, and it would not magically turn Nigeria into an Eldorado like some of you try to make it. Whoever takes over from him will not bring dollar back to 400 naira, nor bring petrol subsidy back.

Tinubu will forever be known as a former known as a former president of Nigeria even he if loses in 2027.

My own worry is how a section of the North believes they own Nigeria, and how they get uncomfortable whenever a Southerner is in power. This goes beyond Tinubu. They did it to Jonathan and even Obasanjo. Obasanjo was said to have prostrated to Atiku just to get a second term because Atiku threatened to contest against him in 2003, believing he (Atiku) could oust Obasanjo with the Northern votes.

I have no problem with Obi or any Southerner going against Tinubu. If Obi wins 2027, I am perfectly fine with it. Southerners need to wise up and fall for these Northerners. Any alliance made by the South with the North rarely last more than 8 years. The alliance expires the moment the Northern president completes his two terms, leaving the Southern VP empty-handed and having a weak platform to launch their own presidential ambition.

Rotational presidency is the only way out.