Atiku Abubakar says insisting on a southern opposition candidate in 2027 could strengthen President Tinubu’s re-election chances
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned opposition political actors against insisting that the 2027 presidential ticket be zoned to the South, arguing that such a strategy could hand President Bola Tinubu an easier path to re-election.
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In a statement issued by his camp, Atiku maintained that Nigeria’s political history offers no example of a southern opposition candidate successfully defeating a sitting southern president.
“At the core of the question is: how does a Southern opposition candidate realistically unseat a sitting Southern president?” the statement read.
According to the former vice president’s camp, insisting on a southern opposition candidate would amount to entering the election already disadvantaged strategically.
The statement argued that opposition parties should focus more on building a viable national coalition capable of defeating the incumbent rather than prioritising regional sentiment.
Atiku’s camp further described the agitation for southern zoning as reactionary and politically unrealistic, warning that emotional decisions could weaken the opposition’s chances in 2027.
“Defeating an incumbent president requires realism, not romanticism; strategy, not sentiment,” the statement added.
On the issue of fairness and power rotation, the statement claimed that the South would have occupied the presidency for 18 years by 2027, compared to 10 years for the North.
According to Atiku’s camp, it would therefore be difficult to justify extending presidential power in the South solely under the argument of equity.
The statement also accused some supporters of southern zoning of selective political memory, recalling that several figures who now advocate rotation had supported the emergence of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011.
While acknowledging the Southeast’s aspiration to produce a Nigerian president, the former vice president’s camp criticised what it described as symbolic political bargaining driven by personal ambition.
Atiku’s camp concluded by urging opposition leaders to prioritise strategic coalition-building and national appeal ahead of the 2027 general elections rather than divisive internal debates over zoning arrangements.
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The remarks are expected to intensify ongoing political conversations surrounding coalition plans, zoning and opposition strategy ahead of the next presidential election.
