Okechukwu Urges Atiku to Respect Power Rotation, Allow South Complete Presidential Turn

A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has appealed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to respect Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement by allowing the South to complete its turn in the presidency ahead of the 2027 general election.

Okechukwu made the appeal in a statement issued on Sunday while reacting to calls by the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum, which had urged Atiku to carefully consider the choice of a vice-presidential candidate from the South in order to strengthen his support base ahead of the next presidential election.

Rejecting the position of the group, Okechukwu argued that the more fundamental issue was not the selection of a running mate, but adherence to the long-standing zoning principle, which he described as essential for national unity, equity and political stability.

According to him, pressure from interest groups encouraging Atiku to seek the presidency despite the existing power rotation understanding contributed to the internal crisis that weakened the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He maintained that the abandonment of the zoning convention had deepened divisions within the opposition party and undermined the country’s democratic process.

The APC chieftain urged the former Vice President to return to the principle of zoning, insisting that doing so would help strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and promote greater political inclusiveness.

Okechukwu also recalled that Atiku had previously defended the zoning arrangement during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, stressing that the former Vice President had once publicly acknowledged the importance of respecting the PDP’s rotational presidency policy.

Quoting Atiku’s earlier position, Okechukwu said: “It is either President Jonathan is not a member of the PDP or is living in denial of the same principle of zoning which saw his emergence as Vice President in 2007.”

He argued that having benefited from the zoning arrangement himself, Atiku should remain committed to preserving the principle in the interest of fairness and national cohesion.

Responding to suggestions that it may be too late for Atiku to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race, Okechukwu said it was never too late to make what he described as the right decision.

He urged the former Vice President to embrace the role of a statesman by stepping aside from the presidential contest and instead focusing on building a strong and credible opposition capable of providing constructive alternatives to the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The statement comes amid growing political consultations and realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with debates over zoning and power rotation once again emerging as key issues in Nigeria’s political landscape.