Atiku Abubakar 2011 President campaign Photo by www.mortenfauerby.dk ©mortenfauerby 2010 - all rights reserved
The Presidency has advised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to drop his reported ambition for the 2027 presidential election, insisting that the presidency should remain in the South in line with Nigeria’s long-standing power rotation arrangement.
Presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga made the remarks on Thursday via his verified X account, where he described Atiku’s renewed ambition as “self-serving” and out of step with the North–South zoning principle that has shaped the country’s politics since 1999.
Atiku, who is seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had recently said in a television interview that the 2027 election would be his final attempt at the presidency.
But Onanuga dismissed the move, accusing the former vice-president of repeatedly ignoring zoning agreements, particularly in 2023 when he contested against a fellow northerner after eight years of northern leadership under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that decision deepened divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and contributed to its defeat at the polls, warning that Atiku risks repeating the same outcome if he goes ahead in 2027.
The Presidency also rejected Atiku’s argument that the South has enjoyed more years in power since 1999, describing it as “dubious arithmetic” and pointing to the political transition that followed the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Onanuga maintained that after Buhari’s eight-year tenure, it is only fair that President Bola Tinubu, a southerner, completes the current cycle of leadership.
He urged Atiku to reconsider his plans, insisting that another presidential bid would end in defeat.
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