Atiku’s aide, Presidency disagree over power rotation ahead of 2027 elections

A fresh political dispute has erupted in Nigeria over the unwritten principle of power rotation, as allies of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar pushed back against comments by presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga on the North-South zoning arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.

The controversy began after Onanuga, reacting to an Arise News interview by Atiku on Wednesday evening, insisted that President Bola Tinubu “must complete eight years” in office in line with the informal zoning formula. He argued that since a northern president served two terms, the South is entitled to retain power until 2031.

The opposition swiftly condemned the position as unconstitutional and anti-democratic.

In a detailed response on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku, accused the presidency of attempting to subvert democracy and silence dissent.

“Dear @aonanuga1956, let me tell you clearly: no presidential aide, no matter how loud or reckless, has the authority to rewrite the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or reduce democracy to a regional entitlement scheme,” Shaibu wrote. “Power rotation is a political convention, not a constitutional decree and certainly not a tool to silence credible opposition.”

Shaibu dismissed claims that the 2023 election was lost due to zoning, alleging instead “state-backed interference, institutional compromise, and electoral irregularities.” He also rejected the invocation of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in the debate, calling it “morally bankrupt” to weaponize a national tragedy.

“The notion that @officialABAT ‘must complete eight years’ is the most anti-democratic statement anyone can make in a constitutional republic,” Shaibu added. “Presidents are not crowned for eight years, they are elected, and they can be voted out.”

He further defended Atiku’s right to contest in 2027, stating, “@atiku does not need your permission to run. He does not need validation from aides who confuse loyalty with noise. Come 2027, it will be the Nigerian people who decide.”

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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