Atiku reminded of his words to Jonathan, told to drop presidential ambition 

A founding member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Osita Okechukwu, has urged African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race to allow the South to complete its turn under Nigeria’s zoning arrangement.

Okechukwu made the appeal on Sunday while reacting to comments by the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum, SPPA, which had advised Atiku to carefully consider his choice of running mate to strengthen support across southern states.

Rejecting the group’s position, the former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, said the focus should not be on Atiku’s running mate but on preserving zoning, which he said has helped maintain political balance and national unity.

According to him, pressure from groups promoting Atiku’s ambition contributed to the crisis that weakened the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

“It was pressure from self-serving groups such as the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum that goaded His Excellency Atiku Abubakar to abandon the rotation convention, which led to our sister political party, PDP’s destabilisation,” Okechukwu said.

He appealed to the former vice president to return to the zoning convention, arguing it would strengthen democracy and promote fairness among regions.

Okechukwu also recalled comments Atiku made during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan when he defended zoning within the PDP.  

Quoting him, Okechukwu said: “It is either President Jonathan is not a member of the PDP or is living in denial of the same principle of zoning which saw his emergence as Vice President in 2007.”

He argued that since Atiku had benefited from zoning in the past, he should remain committed to the principle.

“As a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement, Atiku should uphold the principle and support its continued application in the interest of national cohesion, equity, and political stability,” he stated.

Asked if it was too late for Atiku to withdraw, Okechukwu said the former vice president still had time to change course.

“It is never too late to make amends. He should be a statesman, and instead of hurling blame and barbs at President Tinubu, he should use the few months left to forge a strong opposition,” he said.

*2027 contest shaping up*  

Atiku emerged as the ADC presidential candidate for 2027 after defeating former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in the party’s primary in May. Amaechi was later named as his running mate.

Atiku is one of Nigeria’s longest-serving presidential contenders. He first contested in 2007 on the platform of the Action Congress, AC, failed to secure the PDP ticket in 2011, lost the APC primary before 2015, and was the PDP candidate in 2019 and 2023.

In 2019, he was defeated by former President Muhammadu Buhari. In 2023, he lost to President Bola Tinubu in a tight three-way race. Tinubu polled 8,794,726 votes, Atiku 6,984,520, and Peter Obi 6,101,533.

The 2027 election is expected to be keenly contested. Atiku and Amaechi will challenge President Tinubu, who is seeking a second term, while Peter Obi is contesting on the platform of the National Democratic Congress, NDC.