The Big Tent Coalition has strongly criticized former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for his recent remarks questioning the relevance of zoning and rotational presidency in Nigeria. The coalition accused Atiku of attempting to rewrite the country's political history to further his personal ambitions ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Coalition's Stance on Atiku's Remarks
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its Director of Media and Communications, Charles Odibo, the coalition, which is aligned with political economist Pat Utomi, described Atiku's position on zoning as contradictory and self-serving. The coalition was reacting to comments attributed to Atiku in a recent interview, where he reportedly described the insistence on retaining presidential power in Southern Nigeria in 2027 as 'self-defeating' and 'intellectually dishonest.'
Odibo argued that Atiku had consistently benefited from the zoning arrangement throughout Nigeria's Fourth Republic and could not now discredit the principle because it no longer aligned with his political aspirations. According to the statement, Atiku supported Northern presidential claims after the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and later joined the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2015 election when the party zoned its presidential ticket to the North.
Historical Context of Zoning
The coalition further recalled that Atiku emerged as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019 under what it described as a political understanding that power had returned to the North following the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Rejecting Atiku's interpretation of the North-South power balance since 1999, the coalition maintained that the South would have completed 17 years in power by 2027, while the North would have held power for 11 years. It argued that the current political equilibrium requires the South to complete what it described as its full eight-year cycle before power rotates back to the North.
Inconsistencies in Atiku's Arguments
The statement also accused Atiku of inconsistency over his argument that it would be difficult for a Southern opposition candidate to defeat a Southern incumbent in 2027, noting that he contested against former President Muhammadu Buhari, a fellow Northerner, during the 2019 presidential election. The coalition claimed that Atiku's electoral strength had weakened significantly without the support of former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who served as his running mate in 2019. It pointed to the reduction in Atiku's vote tally from nearly 12 million votes in 2019 to about 6.9 million votes in 2023 as evidence that Obi's support base played a major role in expanding his national appeal.
Emerging Political Alliances
The group said an emerging alliance between Obi and former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso represented a more balanced and organic national coalition capable of attracting support across regions, youths, and grassroots voters. On the issue of competence, the coalition argued that Atiku's experience as vice president did not compare with the executive responsibilities exercised by Obi and Kwankwaso as governors. It added that competence should be judged based on governance outcomes, fiscal discipline, and institutional reforms rather than political rhetoric.
Importance of Rotational Presidency
The coalition maintained that rotational presidency remains essential for national inclusion, stability, and fairness in a multi-ethnic country like Nigeria. It warned against what it described as selective support for zoning depending on political convenience, insisting that Nigerians were increasingly focused on leadership credibility, national unity, and demonstrable competence ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said: 'The principle of rotation is not about sentiment, it is about national inclusion, stability, trust, and fairness in a deeply plural country. Atiku has repeatedly embraced zoning whenever it advanced his ambition, and rejected it whenever it constrained his ambition. This is not statesmanship, it is opportunism. A leader genuinely committed to unity would understand the importance of allowing every region feel a sense of belonging within the national arrangement. Instead of constantly attempting to truncate the rotational understanding whenever it is the South's turn, true patriots should focus on strengthening national consensus and democratic stability.'
