The proposal by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to offer Peter Obi a vice-presidential slot on a joint single-term ticket is stirring up deeper debates about zoning, power rotation, and political strategy ahead of 2027. Public affairs analyst Dr. Adeniyi Ojikutu believes that while Atiku has the constitutional right to run again, the move raises questions about unwritten rules in Nigeria’s political system.
“You see, some of these things, when we discuss them, the truth is that everybody has a right. His Excellency Atiku Abubakar has a right to contest as much time as possible,” he noted.
However, he reminded Nigerians of a sensitive understanding that shapes presidential zoning. “There is an unwritten rule that says, ‘Let the North serve, and let the South serve.’ Now, President Muhammadu Buhari did his eight years. By the time it was supposed to come to the South, His Excellency Atiku insisted that he must be on the ballot.”
Dr. Ojikutu acknowledged the complexity of such arrangements in a diverse nation, adding that power dynamics play a huge role in public perception. “The implication is: how would the southern Nigerian people feel if he had won in 2023?”
He argued that even if Atiku promises just one term, the trust factor may come into play. “Let’s say he wins and is serving four years, and he says, ‘Please let me do one four more years,’ that means Buhari did eight years, a southern President did four, and he would do another eight.”
In his view, the strategy may also meet resistance from the North. “The North — that is their own turn, would have done four years. The remaining four years that’s supposed to be for a northern candidate, you want to give it back to the South?”
Ultimately, he raised a key question that many in political circles may soon be forced to answer: “The permutation is that he has his own personal ambition, which is not against the law. But can he make the sacrifice?”
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