A founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Osita Okechukwu, has expressed confidence that the opposition may struggle to unseat President Bola Tinubu and the APC in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview with the Nigerian Tribune, Okechukwu argued that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had unintentionally strengthened Tinubu’s political position through what he described as a violation of the zoning arrangement.
According to him, Atiku’s decision to contest the presidency despite the zoning expectations worked in favour of both Tinubu and the APC. He stated that this was the second time the former vice president had made such a political miscalculation, noting that a similar situation occurred during the 2023 presidential election.
Okechukwu further explained that presidential elections are held before other categories of elections, making the choice of presidential candidate crucial to the strength of any opposition alliance.
He maintained that if Atiku had adhered to the zoning principle, the APC could have faced a much stronger and more united opposition coalition, especially following the internal crisis and weakening of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The APC chieftain claimed that Atiku’s political decisions had indirectly reduced the chances of the opposition forming a formidable front capable of seriously challenging Tinubu and the ruling party in the next general election.
He said, “In fact, the very day the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was transformed into what many now regard as Atiku’s Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), it became obvious that President Tinubu and the APC had been politically rescued. Perhaps it is the will of Almighty God, because President Tinubu means well for the country by courageously embarking on difficult economic reforms despite their painful consequences.”
Osita Okechukwu further argued that history has shown that strict economic reforms and difficult policy decisions have often led to the downfall of many leaders before the expected long-term gains could be achieved, mainly because citizens usually demand immediate improvements in their living conditions.
He, however, stated that President Bola Tinubu was fortunate politically because former Vice President Atiku Abubakar allegedly failed to learn from past political developments, particularly the consequences of disregarding the zoning convention, which he said contributed to the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party.
Okechukwu claimed it was ironic that Atiku continued to admire and reference the political dominance associated with Ahmadu Bello instead of embracing what he described as a more inclusive and nationally balanced political arrangement represented by the zoning principle introduced in 1999.
According to him, the zoning arrangement was created to encourage fairness, national unity, and power-sharing across different regions of the country.
The APC chieftain added that many Nigerians had expected Atiku, after contesting the presidency in 2019, to reconsider his political ambitions in the same way Tinubu allegedly did at a point by stepping back to reflect strategically and patriotically.
He argued that Atiku could have chosen to support a southern presidential candidate rather than contesting against what he described as the strong political sentiment favouring power rotation to the South.
Okechukwu maintained that Atiku’s refusal to align with the zoning convention had continued to haunt his political ambitions and remained a major burden on his presidential aspirations….See More
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