The Presidency has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to abandon any plans to contest the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the North-South power rotation principle must be respected.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga gave the warning in a post on his verified X handle, describing Atiku’s renewed ambition as “self-serving” and contrary to Nigeria’s long-standing zoning arrangement.
According to him, the informal power-sharing structure—observed since 1999—has played a key role in maintaining political stability and balance across the country.
Onanuga’s comments followed Atiku’s recent remarks during an interview on ARISE TV, where the former vice president indicated his intention to contest the presidency for the last time in 2027.
The presidential aide criticised the move, arguing that it undermines a political convention that ensures equitable distribution of power between the North and South.
He recalled that during the 2023 elections, Atiku, then a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, contested despite the expectation that power should shift to the South after the tenure of a northern president.
According to Onanuga, that decision contributed to internal divisions within the PDP and ultimately led to Atiku’s defeat.
“This Atiku will never learn,” he said, adding that the former vice president risks repeating the same political miscalculation in 2027.
He also rejected Atiku’s argument that zoning should not apply because the South has held power longer than the North, describing it as “dubious political arithmetic.”
Onanuga explained that the perceived imbalance was due to extraordinary circumstances, particularly the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, which led to the succession of then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
He maintained that such events do not invalidate the zoning principle, stressing that after the eight-year tenure of Muhammadu Buhari, it is only fair for Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a southerner, to complete his tenure.
“Since Buhari completed his eight years, Tinubu too must complete his own,” he said, warning that another presidential bid by Atiku would end in “spectacular failure.”
By Deji Elumoye
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