A former chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that opponents of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are underestimating his political strength, predicting that the veteran politician will inherit the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s 12 million traditional block votes from the North in the 2027 presidential election.
Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo, speaking in an interview with Elanza News in Abuja, asserted that while Southern votes would be fragmented among approximately ten presidential hopefuls, the Northern electorate would consolidate behind the region’s leading candidate.
“I am a nationalist,” Ojo stated. “Do not forget Buhari’s 12 million traditional block votes in the North. Who do you think will inherit it? Atiku will inherit it.”
The former APC chieftain argued that mounting hardship under President Bola Tinubu’s administration has significantly eroded support for the incumbent in the North.
“The Northern people have never endured such suffering in Nigeria’s political history. With that level of hardship, do you think they will mobilise to support Tinubu?” he queried.
Ojo dismissed Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate, as a credible threat to Atiku in the North, contending that the former Kano State governor has lost his political structure.
“He has lost the governor of Kano, the senators, and the House of Assembly members. Kwankwaso has no serious political base today. It is merely the Kwankwasiya Movement scattered across the region,” Ojo said, adding that the senator remains “formidable only in Kano and perhaps a small fraction in Jigawa.”
Predicting fragmentation in the South, Ojo pointed to perceived weaknesses in Tinubu’s electoral performance.
“Bola Tinubu lost Lagos. How many South West states did he actually win? Now there are approximately ten presidential candidates from the South, and the votes will be divided across ten different directions,” he explained.
He cited escalating insecurity in the South West and questioned Tinubu’s ability to secure Oyo State against Governor Seyi Makinde or Osun State with Rauf Aregbesola serving as ADC National Secretary.
The former chieftain warned of impending mass defections within the APC ranks.
“There will be significant betrayals, even among the rank and file of the APC. Tinubu will witness considerable defections from the Northern angle. I am confident in saying that,” he declared.
Ojo rejected zoning arrangements as unconstitutional and ineffective, describing federal character as a failed principle.
“Federal character is not working. Zoning is merely by mutual agreement. At this juncture, I believe in ‘contractocracy’ — the best material should be selected,” he stated.
He cited examples from the Obasanjo, Yar’Adua, and the current administrations to argue that zoning has consistently failed to deliver good governance, employment, or security.
Endorsing Atiku, Ojo aligned with former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s position that Nigeria requires the former Vice President to “bring the change we are yearning for.”
He credited Atiku’s tenure as Vice President and head of the National Economic Council with revolutionising the telecommunications sector, securing debt relief, and bringing technocrats including Nuhu Ribadu, Nasir El-Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili, and Chukwuma Soludo into government service.
“Among those contesting now, he remains the only candidate with the requisite experience and pedigree. It was his economic team that brought MTN, Glo, and Airtel to Nigeria. Instead of borrowing, our debts were written off,” Ojo concluded.