Presidency Blasts Atiku over Comments on Power Rotation, Says He "Never Learns"
- The Nigerian presidency has condemned Atiku Abubakar for his comments in an interview on Arise Television
- The former vice president said he is not bound by any zoning formula, and he is ready to contest for the highest seat of the land
- In a rebuttal, the presidency explained the reason for the zoning and rotation of power between the North and the South
The presidency has slammed the former vice president and a relentless aspirant for the presidential seat, Atiku Abubakar, over his comments on zoning and rotation of power between the North and the South.
According to Atiku, per the provision of the Nigerian constitution, he is not bound to obey or follow any power rotation arrangement arbitrarily imposed on parties.
Source: Getty Images
In an explosive and extensive interview on Arise Television on Wednesday, April 15, Atiku explained that since 1999 when the country started democratic rule, southerners have spent more time at the helm of the affairs of the country than northerners.
Presidency rebukes Atiku zoning argument
However, in a rebuttal by Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser on information and strategy to President Bola Tinubu, the presidency countered that Atiku is being deliberately mischievous with his assertion, as he has been contesting for power since a period when the northerners have ruled Nigeria longer than the southerners.
He said:
"He conveniently overlooks the fact that the North’s shorter tenure was due to the untimely death of President Umaru Yar’Adua, which led to President Jonathan’s succession. This accidental breach does not invalidate the power rotation arrangement between the North and the South.
Since Buhari completed his eight years, Tinubu too must complete his own. All Atiku needs to do is to bury the thought of running again, as it is still the South's turn in the 2027 election."
Onanuga describes Atiku's comments as a self-serving argument deployed to disrupt the current rotational arrangement of power in the country in his bid to lead the country at all costs.
Source: Facebook
Atiku makes serious claims
In the same interview, Atiku went out of his casual and usual self and made some serious and slightly provocative statements on his suitability and eligibility to win the ADC presidential ticket and go head-to-head against President Tinubu, who he claimed has done a very disappointing job in power.
He argued that he is more influential than all his competitors in ADC, saying the former Kano state governor and leader of the popular Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, is only known and loved in Kano. Unlike him, whose influence transcends borders from the north down to the south.
He also defended his source of seemingly inexhaustible wealth, saying he had accumulated his money before joining politics, and it is the reason he had no credible corruption charges brought up against him.
Atiku speaks on whether he will support Peter Obi
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed his willingness to support any consensus candidate that emerges within the coalition being built around the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Responding to whether he would step aside in the interest of unity if a consensus candidate emerges, Atiku clarified that the focus should be on support rather than withdrawal.
Source: Legit.ng
