Atiku Abubakar Responds to Akume's 2031 Presidency Suggestion, Highlights North-South Leadership Disparity

 

Abuja, Nigeria — Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has responded to a recent comment by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, who suggested that Northern politicians should wait until 2031 before aspiring to the presidency. Atiku, in a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, called attention to the significant leadership disparity between the North and South, stressing the need for equity in Nigerian politics.

Atiku's response came after Akume's remarks during a TVC program, where the SGF urged Northern leaders eyeing the 2027 presidential race to put their ambitions on hold until 2031, after President Bola Tinubu completes his second term in office. Akume, emphasizing his position, stated that if it is God's will for Atiku to become president, he could still achieve that goal, even at the age of 90. However, he suggested that the North should look beyond 2027, allowing the South to have an uninterrupted leadership period.

In his statement, Atiku pointed out the imbalance in the length of time the North and South have held the presidency. He said, "By 2027, the South will have had 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 years and Buhari eight years."

Atiku noted that this creates a "six-year disparity" between the two regions, which, in his view, casts a shadow over the fairness of the political system. He questioned the true meaning of "equity and fairness" in light of this leadership imbalance.

He further emphasized that power ultimately lies with the Nigerian people, who have the right to elect and remove their leaders based on performance. "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," Atiku added, implying his belief that the current administration has not lived up to expectations.

Atiku's response highlights the ongoing political debate about regional representation and the leadership structure in Nigeria, as discussions over the 2027 presidential race intensify.