According to a report by Leadership on Monday, May 11, 2026, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advised opposition political parties in Nigeria to reconsider plans to zone their presidential ticket to the South ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement released on Monday through his spokesperson, Olusola Sanni, the former presidential candidate said adopting a southern zoning arrangement could reduce the opposition’s chances of defeating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next election.
He explained that opposition parties should focus more on political strategy and electoral strength rather than emotional or sentimental considerations.
Atiku stated that while the ruling All Progressives Congress may decide to retain power in the South because of the current president, opposition parties should not automatically follow the same direction without carefully studying the political situation across the country.
According to him, every political decision ahead of a major election should be based on realistic calculations and the ability to build broad coalitions that can attract support from different regions.
He maintained that elections are usually won through careful planning, negotiations, and the ability to unite different interests under a common political objective.
The former vice president also argued that the debate around zoning should be examined in the context of Nigeria’s democratic history since the beginning of the Fourth Republic in 1999.
He explained that by the year 2027, the southern part of the country would have occupied the presidency for a longer period compared to the North.
According to him, available political records show that the South would have held the presidency for about 18 years, while the North would have spent around 10 years in power during the same democratic period.
He said this reality should be considered carefully by political parties before making decisions on zoning arrangements.
Atiku further explained that allowing the presidency to remain in the South for another four years after 2027 would widen the existing gap between both regions in terms of presidential representation.
He stated that arguments based on fairness and equity should also take into account the years already spent by each region in office.
According to him, opposition parties must avoid decisions that could weaken their political chances or create further disagreements within their ranks.
He stressed that the primary objective of opposition parties should be to present strong candidates capable of competing effectively at the national level.
He said, “If the South retains power for another four years, that disparity widens even further. It therefore becomes difficult to understand the justice in an argument that seeks to deepen an already existing imbalance under the guise of equity….See More
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