Former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has reflected on a key moment in Nigeria’s constitutional history, admitting that he now believes he made the wrong decision in opposing the inclusion of rotational presidency during the country’s constitutional conference.
Atiku made the remarks during an interview on Arise News, where he discussed zoning, power rotation, and his evolving views on leadership distribution in Nigeria.
Speaking on the issue, the former Vice President said he now supports the principle of rotational presidency, describing it as a more equitable approach to governance in a diverse nation.
He recalled events from the constitutional conference held during the era of former Head of State General Sani Abacha, where the idea of including power rotation in the constitution was debated among delegates.
According to Atiku, the late former Vice President, Alex Ekwueme, had strongly advocated for a constitutional provision that would ensure the presidency rotates among Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.
However, Atiku explained that he led a group aligned with the political bloc of the late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, which opposed the proposal at the time.
He noted that his group held a significant numerical advantage during the deliberations, which ultimately influenced the outcome of the vote.
In his words, “Dr. Alex Ekwueme proposed a provision in the constitution for a rotational presidency and I was leading the Yaradua group and I opposed it and because we control about 60 to 70% of the delegates, late Dr. Ekwueme’s amendment was not through.”
The former Vice President admitted that his position at the time was based on the political considerations and perspectives he held then, but acknowledged that his views have since changed.
He revealed that his reflection on the issue deepened years later, particularly during the funeral of Ekwueme, when he reconsidered the long-term implications of the decision.
“In hindsight, when I attended the funeral of late Dr. Ekwueme, I admitted that I made a mistake. I should have supported Dr. Ekwueme’s amendment and the presidency would have rotated to all the zones in the country,” Atiku said.
He further emphasized that such a provision would have contributed to a more balanced and inclusive political system, reducing tensions around regional representation and power-sharing.
“And I think that is the most equitable provision that could be included in the constitution,” he added….See More
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