Atiku

Nigeria’s former Vice President who is a major contender for the presidency, Atiku Abubakar has rejected calls by large sections of politicians that opposition parties preparing for the 2027 elections zone their presidential tickets to the Southern part of the country. He has described the idea of zoning the nation’s number one seat as “self-defeating” and politically risky.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Olusola Sanni, Atiku argued that no opposition candidate from the South had ever defeated a sitting Southern president in Nigeria’s political history.

According to him, while the ruling All Progressives Congress may retain zoning to protect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it would be unwise for the opposition to adopt the same strategy without considering electoral realities.

Atiku also argued that by 2027, Southern Nigeria would have held power longer than the North in the Fourth Republic, questioning the fairness of extending the arrangement further.

The statement came as former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso declared support for retaining the presidency in the South and expressed readiness to serve as running mate to former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi under a proposed opposition coalition.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, Kwankwaso said the coalition favoured a southern candidate to maintain national balance and promote unity.

“If the party decides that I should be the running mate of any candidate from the South, I will be happy to work together with him,” he said.

Kwankwaso added that competence and effective leadership should matter more than regional considerations, stressing that Nigerians were increasingly focused on solving insecurity, economic hardship and governance failures ahead of the 2027 election.