Presidency Tells Atiku: Bury 2027 Ambition, It’s Still the South’s Turn

By Tgnews Reporter

The Nigerian Presidency has firmly rejected any suggestion that the 2027 presidential election could shift to the North, insisting that power rotation between North and South remains intact and that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must be allowed to complete his full term as the South’s representative.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, delivered the strong message in response to recent comments by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has signalled interest in another presidential run.

Onanuga urged Atiku to abandon his ambition, describing it as a self-serving attempt to disrupt the long-standing North-South zoning principle.

In a statement posted on his verified X handle on Thursday, Onanuga argued that after former President Muhammadu Buhari (North) completed his eight-year tenure, it is only fair for the South to have its own uninterrupted eight years through President Tinubu. He maintained that 2027 falls squarely within the South’s slot.

“Since Buhari completed his eight years, Tinubu too must complete his own. All Atiku needs to do is to bury the thought of running again, as it is still the South’s turn in the 2027 election,” Onanuga stated.

The presidential aide criticised Atiku’s position as “self-serving” and rooted in “dubious political arithmetic,” particularly the former VP’s claim that the South has already held power longer than the North since the return to democracy in 1999.

Onanuga pointed out that Atiku had similarly disregarded his party’s zoning arrangement in 2023 by contesting against a southern candidate after Buhari’s northern tenure, a move he said fractured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and contributed to its poor performance.

He warned that repeating the same strategy in 2027 would likely lead to “another failure” for the perennial presidential aspirant.

The zoning debate has intensified following Atiku’s recent appearance on Arise Television, where he reportedly downplayed national zoning and suggested he would push for constitutional provisions on rotational presidency if elected.

The Presidency countered that the informal North-South power rotation convention, though not enshrined in the constitution, has served as a stabilising force in Nigeria’s multi-ethnic democracy.

As 2027 approaches, the Presidency’s position signals a clear intent to defend the current rotational understanding, with Tinubu widely expected to seek re-election.

Atiku, who has run for president multiple times without success, has yet to formally declare his 2027 intentions, but his recent comments have already sparked sharp exchanges.