The Presidency has taken a firm stance on ongoing debates around Nigeria’s power rotation, faulting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his recent comments on zoning and warning that Labour Party’s Peter Obi may need to reconsider his alignment with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a post shared on Thursday via X, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, criticised Atiku’s renewed argument against the North-South rotation arrangement, describing it as inconsistent with established political tradition and driven by personal ambition.
Onanuga argued that Atiku’s decision to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), despite the party’s zoning structure, contributed to internal divisions and ultimately weakened the opposition.
He maintained that the principle of power rotation between the North and South remains valid, insisting that the South should retain the presidency through 2027 following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s current tenure, which comes after eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Responding to Atiku’s claim that the South has spent more years in power since 1999, Onanuga dismissed the argument as “political arithmetic,” noting that the imbalance cited was largely due to the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the succession of then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan.
He further warned that Atiku risks another electoral defeat if he proceeds with another presidential bid, while also suggesting that political realignments could force Peter Obi to rethink his position within the ADC.
Quoting parts of his statement, Onanuga said Atiku was “putting forward a self-serving argument” and attempting to disrupt what he described as an established zoning arrangement.
He added that the rotation principle should remain intact, stressing that after Buhari’s eight-year presidency and Tinubu’s current tenure, it remains the South’s turn in the ongoing political arrangement.
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