Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emphasised that the decision on who will occupy the Nigerian presidency in 2027 lies solely with the people of Nigeria.
Atiku’s assertion was in response to a statement by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who suggested that President Bola Tinubu’s second term in office was already assured.
Akume had argued that equity and fairness demanded that Tinubu, a southerner, complete a second term, given that the North had already had its turn in leadership.
Reacting to Akume’s remarks, Atiku’s Special Adviser on Media, Paul Ibe, questioned the SGF’s stance in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday. He asked, “Where, then, does true equity and fairness reside?”
Ibe pointed out that by 2027, the South would have had a cumulative 17 years in the presidency: eight years under Olusegun Obasanjo, five years under Goodluck Jonathan, and four years under Tinubu. In contrast, the North would have had only 11 years—three under Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and eight under Muhammadu Buhari. This, Ibe argued, creates a six-year imbalance between the regions, raising questions about the fairness of power distribution.
Highlighting the role of Nigerians in determining their leaders, Ibe stated that it is up to the electorate to assess the Tinubu administration’s performance and decide if it deserves another term. He concluded emphatically, “But has the Tinubu government demonstrated that it deserves to be re-elected? The answer, alas, is as clear as the heavens themselves—God forbid!”
