The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned opposition parties against fielding a southern presidential candidate in the 2027 election, warning that such a move could strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term.
In a statement issued by Atiku’s media aide, Olusola Sanni, the former vice president’s camp argued that challenging a sitting southern president with another southern candidate may not be politically strategic.
According to the statement, Nigerian political history has never recorded a situation where an incumbent president was defeated by an opposition candidate from the same geopolitical region.
The Atiku camp stressed that opposition parties must focus on realistic political calculations, coalition-building and voter strategy rather than emotional arguments surrounding zoning.
Atiku Camp Questions Southern Zoning Strategy
The statement argued that while the ruling APC may naturally retain its current southern presidential structure around Tinubu, the opposition should avoid adopting the same formula if it hopes to win power in 2027.
According to Sanni, insisting on another southern candidate against Tinubu could hand the ruling party an easier path to victory.
The camp also claimed that by 2027, the South would have spent significantly more years in presidential power during the Fourth Republic compared to the North.
It maintained that extending southern leadership further could deepen political imbalance rather than promote fairness.
Fresh Debate Over Power Rotation
The statement further accused some political actors of inconsistency in the ongoing zoning debate.
It referenced the emergence of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 following the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, arguing that some individuals who supported a southern presidency at the time are now presenting themselves as defenders of rotational justice.
Atiku’s camp insisted that political principles should remain consistent regardless of personal ambition or current political interests.
South-East Presidency Debate Also Addressed
While acknowledging growing calls for a South-East presidency, the statement warned against reducing the issue to symbolic politics or temporary political arrangements.
According to the camp, the South-East deserves a credible and sustainable pathway to national leadership built on strong political consensus rather than short-term calculations.
Opposition Urged to Focus on Winning Strategy
The former vice president’s camp concluded by urging opposition parties to prioritise building a broad national coalition capable of defeating the ruling party in 2027.
It stressed that defeating an incumbent government requires strategic planning, national support and political realism rather than emotional narratives.
The statement has since sparked fresh reactions across Nigeria’s political space as conversations around zoning and the 2027 presidential election continue to intensify.