Okupe: Atiku Can Run in 2027, But Southern Nigeria Must First Complete Its Eight-Year Tenure

Doyin Okupe, a former presidential aide, has stated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has every right to run for president in the 2027 general election. However, he emphasized that Nigeria’s geopolitical dynamics, rather than Atiku’s age, pose the main challenge to his candidacy....CONTINUE READING>>>

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Okupe explained that Nigeria’s informal power-sharing tradition suggests the presidency should remain in the south in 2027 to complete an eight-year cycle.

“Atiku didn’t lose in 2023 because he wasn’t qualified but because many felt that another northern Muslim could not follow eight years of a northern Muslim president,” Okupe said.

He acknowledged Atiku’s qualifications and described him as one of Nigeria’s best, but noted that geopolitical considerations would make his candidacy difficult. “A southerner would have only completed four years by 2027 and should have another term. While this isn’t in the constitution, there’s an understanding that power rotates between the north and the south. A northern candidate taking over in 2027 would disrupt this balance.”

Okupe also discussed Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s candidate in the 2023 election, acknowledging his potential but pointing out the challenges he might face in unseating President Tinubu in 2027.

“Obi is a young, dynamic, and ambitious leader, but geopolitics plays a critical role in Nigeria’s elections. Tinubu, a southerner, is currently the president and appears to be performing well. For Obi, defeating Tinubu will be a significant challenge,” he said.

Okupe’s remarks highlight the ongoing influence of Nigeria’s unwritten power-sharing arrangement and the complexities of political aspirations in the country.