‘God forbid’, Atiku responds to Akume’s views on 2027 presidential succession

Atiku, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 2023 election, indicated that President Tinubu’s performance does not warrant another term, saying, “God forbid.”

He emphasized that the decision on who will be President in 2027 rests with the Nigerian people.

In an interview, Akume had stated that since President Tinubu is from the South, he should be allowed a second term, implying that Northern politicians eyeing the presidency in 2027 should look beyond that year and wait until 2031.

Akume added, “If it is God’s will for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to become President of Nigeria, even at the age of 90, he can achieve it. But he and other northerners aspiring for the position should set their sights beyond 2027.”

In a response posted on his official X account, Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe, questioned, “Where does true equity and fairness lie?”

“By the year 2027, the South will have enjoyed 17 years of leadership — eight years under Obasanjo, five years under Jonathan, and four years under Tinubu — while the North will have experienced only 11 years, with Yar’Adua serving three and Buhari eight. This results in a disparity of six years between the North and South, casting a shadow over the balance of power.

“In any case, the power to elect and vote out their government lies firmly with the Nigerian people, entrusted to them upon the government’s ability to prove itself worthy of the people’s ballot. But has the Tinubu government demonstrated that it deserves to be re-elected? The answer, alas, is as clear as the heavens themselves — God forbid!” He wrote.