2027: Atiku's breach of zoning fueling political tension in North - Osita Okechukwu

Former VON Director-General and APC chieftain Osita Okechukwu has voiced concern that Atiku Abubakar's breach of zoning in the 2027 presidential race is exacerbating political tensions across Nigeria. Okechukwu argued that Atiku's actions vindicate calls for Nigeria's power-rotation and zoning convention. In his statement, he urged Northerners to avoid the perils of ethno-identity politics focused on a single individual's ambitions.

Okechukwu noted that rival nations like Sudan have yet to recover from ethnic strife. He remarked that while the South has other presidential candidates, Atiku and Tinubu share equal merit based on their past records. Okechukwu lamented that the PDP is still grappling with the fallout from Atiku's zoning breach in 2023, suggesting that the 2027 election could have been less contentious if the ADC had adhered to the principle of presidential power rotation.

The former VON boss reminded Nigerians of the 1999, 2007, and 2019 peaceful elections, underscoring how rotation convention helped maintain national unity. He warned that reports of security personnel being deployed for campaign duties are alarming, especially when there are pressing issues like kidnappings, armed robberies, and the farmer-herder conflict.

Okechukwu called on Atiku's supporters and other political actors to stop portraying the 2027 contest as a zero-sum game between North and South, as such rhetoric could deepen ethnic divisions and endanger Nigeria's young democracy.