Why Atiku shouldn’t become president in 2027 — Okupe
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former Director-General of Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Doyin Okupe, has explained why he thinks former Vice President Atiku Abubakar should not be elected president in 2027.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, Okupe said it was only fair to allow the south to produce the next president.
The ex-presidential spokesman said the problem with the idea of Atiku becoming president in 2027 is geopolitics, not age.
He said, “Atiku failed in 2023, not because he was not a good person, but because people felt that a northern Muslim cannot succeed another northern Muslim after eight years.
“If Atiku still contests in 2027, he has a right. He is eminently qualified and one of the best we have but geopolitics is an issue.
“The conditionality still persists, a southerner would have just completed four years and needs another four-year term.
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“It’s not in the constitution but we agree that when a northerner does his eight years, a southerner will do.
“So, the north cannot now terminate the tenure of the south in 2027. It is not going to work.”
He said it would be very difficult for Peter Obi to dislodge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“Obi can contest. Obi is a young man, very dynamic and very ambitious; but geopolitics is important in a country that has not achieved horizontal and vertical unity.
“The person who is occupying the place right now, Tinubu, is also a southerner, who is doing well.
“We can see what this gentleman (Tinubu) is doing. I wish Obi luck but it is going to be an uphill task,” he said.
On whether alliances of politicians and parties could unseat Tinubu in 2027, he said he did not see any political gang-up working against the president.
Okupe expressed doubt in the readiness and willingness of opposition leaders such as Atiku, Obi and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, mulling alliance against Tinubu in 2027 to concede for one another.
