The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his stance on Nigeria’s North South power rotation arrangement.
In a strongly worded statement, Onanuga accused Atiku of attempting to disrupt the informal zoning principle ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He argued that Atiku’s position is self serving and inconsistent with political realities.
Onanuga recalled that during the 2023 election, Atiku, as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, contested despite the expectation that power should rotate to the South after the eight year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari. According to him, this decision contributed to internal divisions within the party and ultimately weakened its chances at the polls.
He further warned that Atiku risks repeating the same mistake in 2027, describing him as a “perennial candidate” who could face another electoral defeat.
Reacting to Atiku’s recent interview, Onanuga dismissed his claim that the South has spent more years in power since 1999 as misleading. He explained that the North’s shorter time in office was largely due to the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, which led to the succession of Goodluck Jonathan.
According to Onanuga, this development does not invalidate the long standing power rotation understanding between the North and South. He insisted that President Bola Tinubu should be allowed to complete two terms in office.
He urged Atiku to abandon any plans to contest again, maintaining that the South should retain the presidency through the 2027 election cycle.
The exce reflects intensifying political debate over zoning and succession as early alignments begin to shape Nigeria’s next presidential race.
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