Presidency to Atiku: Abandon the idea of running again

Slams ex-VP over comment on 2027 elections

Insists it’s still the South’s turn in 2027

By Mathew Brangyet

The Presidency, in a quick response, on Thursday, condemned a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Vice President and PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Abubakar Atiku, for claiming that the south has held power longer than the north, pointing out that “his political arithmetic is dubious.”

Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, reacting to Atiku’s comments on President Bola Tinubu’s governance via his X (Twitter) handle @aonanuga1956, said all the former VP needs to do is to abandon the idea of running again, as it is still the South’s turn in the 2027 election

Recall that Atiku had, in a television interview on Wednesday night, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, calling it the worst in Nigeria’s history based on his 40 years in politics. He stressed that since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999, the south has governed for 18 years while the north governed for 10 years.

Reacting to Atiku’s comments, Onanuga said the former Vice President, “in a brazenly self-serving twist, insisted he is not bound by the rotation formula because the South has spent more years in office than the North since 1999.”

The Presidency stated, “his (Atiku) ambition fractured the PDP, leading to his resounding defeat at the polls.

“Now, he stands poised to repeat history and face another downfall. Another spectacular failure awaits this perennial candidate in the next election.

According to the Presidency, Atiku conveniently overlooks the fact that the North’s shorter tenure was due to the untimely death of President Umaru Yar’Adua, which led to the succession of President Jonathan.

“This accidental breach does not invalidate the power rotation arrangement between the North and the South. Since Buhari completed his eight years,

“Tinubu too must complete his own. All Atiku needs to do is to abandon the idea of running again, as it is still the South’s turn in the 2027 election.

“Once again, Abubakar Atiku has presented a self-serving argument to justify his attempt to disrupt Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement.

“In 2023, as a member of the PDP—a party that, like others, practices zoning—Atiku disregarded the established formula and sought to succeed a fellow northerner, who had spent eight years in office.

In his interview with Charles Aniagolu on Wednesday, Atiku, now sounding like the presumed ADC candidate (Peter Obi, get ready to bolt away), revisited his 2023 argument on the North-South power rotation, Onanuga stated.

The Presidency condemned the comment of the former VP on the 2027 elections, saying: “This Atiku will never learn.’