The declaration by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar that contesting the 2027 presidential election will probably be his ultimate try at Nigeria’s highest workplace didn’t come as a shock. Atiku, a seventh time presidential candidate on numerous political occasion platforms, must be weary by now.
Actually, political analysts had since predicted that Atiku would throw within the towel earlier than the 2027 electoral cycle, a prediction he debunked, insisting that so long as he stays wholesome he would proceed to contest for the presidency.
Talking throughout a tv interview final Wednesday, the place he mirrored on his decades-long political journey and long-time ambition to guide Nigeria, Atiku stated the stakes have been considerably increased as he prepares for what could be his eighth run for the presidency.
When requested about his age towards the backdrop of his eighth try and whether or not the 2027 race could be his ultimate shot on the presidency or not, Atiku stated: “Actually sure. As a result of the stakes are increased, as a result of I imagine that will probably be my final outing. So, that’s incontrovertible.”
In a swift response, nevertheless, the presidency suggested the previous vice-president to jettison any thought to contest the 2027 presidential ballot. It insisted that it’s the flip of the South beneath Nigeria’s established energy rotation association to nonetheless produce the president subsequent 12 months.
Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, gave the recommendation in a submit on his verified X deal with, the place he criticised Atiku’s renewed presidential ambition as a “self-serving” transfer that violates the North-South zoning precept.
In response to him, Atiku’s place undermines a political conference that has helped stabilise Nigeria’s democracy since 1999.
“This Atiku won’t ever study,” accusing him of trying to “disrupt Nigeria’s energy rotation association”, Onanuga wrote.
He recalled that through the 2023 election cycle, Atiku, then a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP), ignored the occasion’s zoning custom by contesting to succeed a fellow northerner who had accomplished two phrases in workplace.
That call, the presidential spokesperson stated, led to inner divisions throughout the PDP, culminating in Atiku’s defeat on the polls.
“His ambition fractured the PDP, resulting in his resounding defeat on the polls,” Onanuga stated, including that the previous vice-president seems set to “repeat historical past” in 2027.
He additional faulted Atiku’s argument that he’s not sure by zoning as a result of, in his view, the South has held energy longer than the North since 1999.
Describing the declare as “doubtful political arithmetic,” Onanuga argued that the imbalance cited by Atiku was the results of extraordinary circumstances, notably the demise of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in workplace, which led to the succession of then Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan.
He maintained that such an prevalence doesn’t invalidate the casual however extensively noticed power-sharing association between the 2 areas.
Onanuga harassed that following the completion of eight years in workplace by former President Muhammadu Buhari, it’s only equitable for President Bola Tinubu, a southerner, to finish his personal tenure.
“Since Buhari accomplished his eight years, Tinubu too should full his personal,” he stated.
It’s instructive that Atiku Abubakar has paid his dues to the socio-political and {economic} growth of his fatherland. He was an eight-year vice-president beneath President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 – 2007 and has made a number of makes an attempt to turn into Nigeria’s president since returning to partisan politics in 2003.
He first contested the presidency in 1993 beneath the Social Democratic Occasion (SDP) primaries earlier than stepping down for the late Moshood Abiola.
He later ran in 2007 beneath the Motion Congress of Nigeria (ACN), dropping to the late President Yar’Adua.
Atiku additionally contested in 2011 beneath the ACN, dropping to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He returned to the PDP and contested the 2019 presidential election, the place he misplaced to the late President Buhari.
In 2023, he once more emerged PDP candidate however misplaced to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The previous vice-president has persistently positioned himself as a long-time advocate of restructuring, {economic} liberalisation and personal sector-driven development.
With the 2027 election cycle already shaping early political alignments, Atiku’s newest remark provides to rising hypothesis over the following part of Nigeria’s presidential contest.
Towards this backdrop, Blueprint commends Atiku Abubakar’s resolve to terminate his presidential ambition after the 2027 common elections, notably in a continent largely dominated by octogenarians.
However, it’s our view that having taken seven unsuccessful pictures on the presidency, the previous VP ought to have taken the honourable path of retiring to play the kingmaker function.
Though the argument that Atiku ought to respect the North-South zoning precept by jettisoning his 2027 presidential ambition is germane, contemplating Nigeria’s fragile geopolitical construction, it falls on all fours within the face of constitutional necessities.
The North-South zoning precept is a gentleman’s Contract, which is neither recognised by the Structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) nor legally binding.
Thus, it’s throughout the constitutional proper of the previous vice-president to maintain operating for any workplace of his selection, together with that of the president of Nigeria.