A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has urged former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to respect Nigeria’s zoning arrangement by allowing the South to complete its turn in the presidency ahead of the 2027 general election.
Okechukwu made the appeal while reacting to calls by the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum, which had advised Atiku to carefully consider his choice of a vice-presidential running mate in a bid to strengthen his political support in the South.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the APC chieftain dismissed the group’s recommendation, insisting that the real issue was not the selection of a running mate but adherence to the long-standing principle of power rotation between the North and the South.
According to Okechukwu, pressure from political groups contributed to Atiku’s decision to abandon the zoning convention in previous elections, a move he claimed worsened the internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) argued that returning to the zoning principle would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy, promote national unity and reduce political tensions across the country.
He recalled that Atiku had previously supported the power rotation arrangement during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and urged him to remain consistent with that position.
Okechukwu maintained that since the former vice president had benefited from the zoning agreement in the past, he should now support its continued implementation in the interest of fairness and political stability.
“It’s never too late to make things right. He should act like a leader and stop blaming President Tinubu with harsh words. Instead, he should use the few months left to build a strong opposition,” Okechukwu stated.
His remarks add another dimension to the growing debate over zoning and power rotation as political parties intensify consultations ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
With conversations around regional balance, equity and national unity already dominating the political landscape, the issue of zoning is expected to remain one of the defining topics in the race to Nigeria’s next general election.
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