‘No One Owns Nigeria’— Atiku Camp Fires Back At Onanuga Over 2027 Power Rotation Comment

A fresh war of words has erupted in Nigeria’s political space over the unwritten power rotation principle, allies of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have pushed back against comments by presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga on the North-South power rotation ahead of the 2027 elections.

The controversy followed remarks by Onanuga, who was reacting to a live interview granted by Atiku on Arise News Channel on Wednesday evening, insisting that his principal President Bola Tinubu “must complete eight years” in office in line with the informal zoning arrangement. According to him, having succeeded a northern president who served two terms, it is the South’s turn to retain power until 2031.

The position has, however, drawn sharp criticism from the opposition, which described it as unconstitutional and contrary to democratic principles.

In a response posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku, he accused the presidency of attempting to subvert democracy and silence dissenting voices.

“Dear @aonanuga1956, let me tell you clearly: no presidential aide, no matter how loud or reckless, has the authority to rewrite the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or reduce democracy to a regional entitlement scheme. Power rotation is a political convention, not a constitutional decree and certainly not a tool to silence credible opposition,” Shaibu wrote.

He further described the stance as an attempt to intimidate the opposition, adding, “This tired attempt to bully @atiku out of the race reeks of fear, not principle. The same people who shredded zoning within their own party when it suited them now pretend to be its custodians. Hypocrisy has never worn such a cheap costume. Let’s dismantle this lazy narrative.”

Shaibu also dismissed claims surrounding the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, alleging irregularities.

“First, the 2023 election was not lost because of zoning. It was lost through a toxic cocktail of state-backed interference, institutional compromise, and electoral irregularities that Nigerians have not forgotten. So spare us the revisionist history,” he said.

He criticised references to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in the zoning debate, calling it inappropriate.

“Second, invoking the unfortunate passing of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as a political excuse in 2026 is not just disingenuous—it is morally bankrupt. A national tragedy should not be weaponized to justify mediocrity or shield failure.”

On the issue of tenure, Shaibu rejected the notion that Tinubu must complete two terms, “Third, the notion that @officialABAT ‘must complete eight years’ is the most anti-democratic statement anyone can make in a constitutional republic. Presidents are not crowned for eight years, they are elected, and they can be voted out. That is the essence of democracy your camp seems to have conveniently forgotten.”

He added that Nigeria’s sovereignty lies with its citizens, not political arrangements, “Nigeria does not belong to any region, any rotation cartel, or any political clique. It belongs to Nigerians. I mean, all Nigerians who are today groaning under the weight of disastrous policies, crushing inflation, and a government that has clearly lost its moral and economic compass.”

Shaibu also took aim at remarks concerning Labour Party’s Peter Obi and alleged opposition realignments.

“That line about @PeterObi ‘bolting out’ of ADC is nothing but panic speaking. It betrays a camp around @officialABAT that is clearly rattled by the mere idea of a united opposition. You don’t dictate who joins or leaves a coalition, you only expose your fear when you try.

“@PeterObi doesn’t take instructions from jittery aides in Abuja. And if your government had anything solid to campaign on, you wouldn’t be busy hallucinating cracks in the opposition.”

He concluded by reaffirming Atiku’s right to contest in 2027, “So here is the reality your camp must come to terms with: @atiku does not need your permission to run. He does not need validation from aides who confuse loyalty with noise. And come 2027, it will not be aides, nor propaganda, nor recycled talking points that decide Nigeria’s future, it will be the Nigerian people. And they are watching. Closely.”