₦airaland Forum

As the countdown to 2027 begins, political watchers are asking one simple question: _When will Atiku Abubakar retire from politics and rest?_

Atiku Abubakar will be 80 years old in 2027. He has run for President six times since 1993 and says he is still ready to run again. But many Nigerians say the age and the timing make his ambition unreasonable.

While Nigeria’s Constitution does not set a maximum age for President, it does recognize retirement age in other sectors. The _Public Service Rules_ set 60 years as the mandatory retirement age for civil servants, and 65 years for some categories like judges and university professors.

“The idea of retirement exists in Nigeria for a reason,” the _Youths for Generational Change_ said. “At 60, most Nigerians are told to rest. At 65, judges and professors retire. So why should a man of 80 still be seeking to run the country? Atiku Abubakar should have retired from politics and should be resting, not campaigning.”


Supporters of zoning argue that Atiku Abubakar knows it is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the next President of Nigeria according to the unwritten rotation principle between North and South.

“After eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari from the North, and four years of President Bola Tinubu from the South West, equity demands the next President comes from the South East,” the _National Equity Forum_ said.

Even more pointedly, they say it is the turn of the South East region to produce President of Nigeria. “The South East has never produced an elected President since 1966. After the South West, the South, and the North, justice demands the South East gets its chance,” the _Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council_ stated.


Analysts say the demands of the presidency require energy, stamina, and mental agility. “The presidency is not a retirement home,” a political scientist at the University of Abuja said. “At 80, Atiku Abubakar will be governing a country of 170 million people with complex security, economic, and youth challenges. The nation needs a leader who can keep pace with the demands of the office.”

Abuja market traders put it bluntly: “Atiku Abubakar has done his part. He should be resting. He cannot give Nigeria what he doesn’t have. He should let the younger generation, especially from the South East, lead.”


The message from students in Nsukka, market women in Aba, and civil servants in Abuja is the same: Atiku Abubakar should retire from politics and rest.

“When Atiku Abubakar knows it is the turn of Southern Nigeria and the turn of the South East to produce President, why is he still running?” the _South East Youth Assembly_ asked. “It is time for him to retire and support the younger generation.”

Nigerians say 2027 will be decided by age, equity, and the future — not by sentiment. And for many, the answer is clear: Atiku Abubakar should rest, not run.

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1nice:
As the countdown to 2027 begins, political watchers are asking one simple question: _When will Atiku Abubakar retire from politics and rest?_

Atiku Abubakar will be 80 years old in 2027. He has run for President six times since 1993 and says he is still ready to run again. But many Nigerians say the age and the timing make his ambition unreasonable.

While Nigeria’s Constitution does not set a maximum age for President, it does recognize retirement age in other sectors. The _Public Service Rules_ set 60 years as the mandatory retirement age for civil servants, and 65 years for some categories like judges and university professors.

“The idea of retirement exists in Nigeria for a reason,” the _Youths for Generational Change_ said. “At 60, most Nigerians are told to rest. At 65, judges and professors retire. So why should a man of 80 still be seeking to run the country? Atiku Abubakar should have retired from politics and should be resting, not campaigning.”


Supporters of zoning argue that Atiku Abubakar knows it is the turn of Southern Nigeria to produce the next President of Nigeria according to the unwritten rotation principle between North and South.

“After eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari from the North, and four years of President Bola Tinubu from the South West, equity demands the next President comes from the South East,” the _National Equity Forum_ said.

Even more pointedly, they say it is the turn of the South East region to produce President of Nigeria. “The South East has never produced an elected President since 1966. After the South West, the South, and the North, justice demands the South East gets its chance,” the _Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council_ stated.


Analysts say the demands of the presidency require energy, stamina, and mental agility. “The presidency is not a retirement home,” a political scientist at the University of Abuja said. “At 80, Atiku Abubakar will be governing a country of 170 million people with complex security, economic, and youth challenges. The nation needs a leader who can keep pace with the demands of the office.”

Abuja market traders put it bluntly: “Atiku Abubakar has done his part. He should be resting. He cannot give Nigeria what he doesn’t have. He should let the younger generation, especially from the South East, lead.”


The message from students in Nsukka, market women in Aba, and civil servants in Abuja is the same: Atiku Abubakar should retire from politics and rest.

“When Atiku Abubakar knows it is the turn of Southern Nigeria and the turn of the South East to produce President, why is he still running?” the _South East Youth Assembly_ asked. “It is time for him to retire and support the younger generation.”

Nigerians say 2027 will be decided by age, equity, and the future — not by sentiment. And for many, the answer is clear: Atiku Abubakar should rest, not run.

Most of you are blinded by emotional judgements and tribalism that your reasoning are often shallow. How old is Donald Trump, the president of America.

Is he not healthy than the one in Aso Rock that you lots are clamouring to give another four years by hooks or by crooks?

coputa:
Most of you are blinded by emotional judgements and tribalism that your reasoning are often shallow. How old is Donald Trump, the president of America.

Age alone doesn’t disqualify anyone, but context does. Donald Trump is 80, but America has strong institutions, term limits, and a different political culture. Nigeria’s challenge is different: we’re dealing with youth unemployment, insecurity, and the need for national healing.
"Donald Trump is 80, but America isn't Nigeria. We have our own realities. Age isn’t the only issue — competence, energy, and fairness matter too. And Atiku Abubakar isn’t just 80; he’s also facing corruption cases and 6 failed attempts. Nigeria needs fresh ideas, not recycling. Rotation matters because it’s about equity, not tribalism."

At 80, Atiku Abubakar has run 6 times and lost. The public service rule retires civil servants at 60. If we can’t keep 60-year-olds in civil service, why keep an 80-year-old in the most demanding job?

And it’s not tribalism to say it’s the turn of the South East. It’s equity. After North, South West, and South, fairness says South East should produce President. That’s not shallow reasoning — that’s common sense.

Isobug:
Is he not healthy than the one in Aso Rock that you lots are clamouring to give another four years by hooks or by crooks?

Health isn’t the only issue — competence, record, and fairness matter too. If you think the current one isn’t healthy, why replace him with someone older and with more baggage? Atiku Abubakar is 80 and still wants to run. Nigeria needs a break from recycling old faces, not swapping one for another."


"Two wrongs don’t make a right. If you’re saying the current president isn’t healthy, then the answer is to bring in a younger, healthier, more competent candidate — not an 80-year-old with corruption cases and six failed attempts.

Atiku Abubakar has been in politics for over 30 years. If health is your benchmark, why are we not looking at the South East where you have governors and ministers in their 50s who are healthy and ready?

And ‘by hooks or by crooks’ is exactly what Nigerians are tired of. We’re not clamouring for anyone by force. We’re asking for equity: it’s the turn of Southern Nigeria, and the turn of the South East. That’s not sentiment — that’s justice.

If you’re tired of the current one, vote for competence. Don’t replace one old face with another. Give the South East its turn and let Nigeria breathe.

Atiku will exercise his democratic right by contesting the primary election under his party. All these threads are just water off a whale's back and a waste of Nairaland bandwidth. Give it up already.

There are two sides to every coin. If it's the turn of the southeast, then Tinubu should graciously step aside and allow only southeasterners contest 2027. If the argument is that Atiku is 80 in 2027, and has gone past retirement age, what about Tinubu, who is officially well above 70?

Furthermore, if the argument is that it's the turn of the south, and that Atiku ought not to contest on that basis, why was Jonathan allowed to contest 2015 against Buhari, a northerner?

If Jonathan was allowed to contest in 2015 against a northerner, what's wrong in Atiku contesting against Tinubu in 2027? What convention would that violate? Should a party's zoning arrangement become a blanket for the whole country?

AMINDA:
Atiku will exercise his democratic right by contesting the primary election under his party. All these threads are just water off a whale's back and a waste of Nairaland bandwidth. Give it up already.

Yes, Atiku Abubakar has a democratic right to contest. But Nigerians also have a democratic right to reject him. That’s how democracy works. Calling this a ‘waste of bandwidth’ won’t stop people from demanding equity. 2027 is about the South East’s turn, not one man’s ambition. We’ll keep talking until the people speak.

Water off a whale’s back’? That’s what they said about #EndSARS until it became a movement. Nigerians are done with recycling. At 80, Atiku Abubakar should rest. The South East has waited long enough. If you think it’s waste, ignore it. But don’t tell others to ‘give it up’ when we’re fighting for a united Nigeria.


If it’s a waste, why are you here wasting your own bandwidth? You’re here because you know the people are moving past sentiment. We’ll keep talking. 2027 is not Atiku’s turn.

Atiku is not the cause of your suffering. An 80 year old man still has dreams and aspirations whilst a young person like you is without dreams, aspirations and focus, you keep blaming every government for your woes

coputa:
Most of you are blinded by emotional judgements and tribalism that your reasoning are often shallow. How old is Donald Trump, the president of America.

Don’t mind them. Most of them that write this things na obi supporters and Igbo then be. Na you get money atiku dey use to run or resources? Obi best bet is to deputized atiku

sleek214:
Atiku is not the cause of your suffering. An 80 year old man still has dreams and aspirations whilst a young person like you is without dreams, aspirations and focus, you keep blaming every government for your woes

Atiku Abubakar isn’t the only cause of Nigeria’s suffering, but he’s been in power for over 30 years. He’s part of the problem. And don’t tell me I’m without dreams because I want better. I have dreams — a Nigeria where 80-year-olds rest and the South East gets its turn. That’s focus. That’s aspiration. That’s why I’m fighting for equity, not recycling.

So an 80-year-old can have dreams, but a young person can’t demand change? The irony. My dream is a Nigeria that doesn’t recycle failed leaders. Atiku had 6 chances. He had his time. My dream is for the South East to produce President. That’s not blaming government — that’s asking for justice.


If Atiku’s dream is to be president at 80, my dream is to see a Nigeria that moves past tribalism and corruption. That’s the difference: my dream is for the country, his dream is for himself. And yes, I’m focused — focused on a clean, united Nigeria, not on defending old men.

Onme:
Don’t mind them. Most of them that write this things na obi supporters and Igbo then be. Na you get money atiku dey use to run or resources? Obi best bet is to deputized atiku

Calling this ‘Igbo’ or ‘Obi supporters’ won’t change the facts. Nigerians from every tribe are tired of recycling. Atiku Abubakar has run 6 times and lost. He’s 80 in 2027. That’s not about tribe — that’s about competence. And no, it’s not about money. It’s about justice. After North and South West, it’s the South East’s turn. That’s equity, not tribalism.

Onme:
Don’t mind them. Most of them that write this things na obi supporters and Igbo then be. Na you get money atiku dey use to run or resources? Obi best bet is to deputized atiku

Thank you for saying the uncomfortable truth, that's the only chance he has .

Radicalwarrior:
Calling this ‘Igbo’ or ‘Obi supporters’ won’t change the facts. Nigerians from every tribe are tired of recycling. Atiku Abubakar has run 6 times and lost. He’s 80 in 2027. That’s not about tribe — that’s about competence. And no, it’s not about money. It’s about justice. After North and South West, it’s the South East’s turn. That’s equity, not tribalism.

I don’t know you but basically with what you write you are igbo. I’m still wondering where it is written in Nigeria constitution power should be rotated between north and south.. that north and south rotation is only in PDP constitution not in Nigeria constitution, it PDP constitution that north and south is generated from… I don’t know when we choose to be languishing between north and south over competent leaders which can drive the country to greater heights. Let me tell you something even Kwankwaso is playing to you obedient card, he is supporting atiku because he want power to return back to the north.. if they give Obi ticket, tinubu will beat him with power of incumbent, in 2023 they both run on a playground not now tinubu have power. I repeat Obi best bet is to deputize atiku and there they both go straight to aso rock, they will beat tinubu flat because northern voters is ready to show tinubu shege coming 2027