The Nigerian presidency has reaffirmed that President Bola Tinubu will serve a full eight-year tenure, pushing back against recent comments by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on the country’s power-sharing arrangement.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga made the position known while responding to Atiku’s remarks questioning the balance of power between the North and South since Nigeria’s return to democracy.
Atiku had argued that the South has held the presidency for a longer period compared to the North, raising concerns about fairness in the informal zoning system. He also hinted that the 2027 election could be his final bid for the presidency.
In response, Onanuga dismissed the argument as self-serving, accusing Atiku of attempting to weaken the long-standing rotational arrangement. He pointed out that during the 2023 election, Atiku pursued the presidency despite the expectation that power should shift to the South after the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The presidency further argued that the perceived imbalance in years of leadership between the two regions was largely due to the death of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, which led to the succession of Goodluck Jonathan.
According to Onanuga, this development should not be used to invalidate the zoning principle, stressing that just as Buhari completed two terms, Tinubu is also expected to do the same.
He maintained that any attempt to challenge the arrangement could create further political tension, as the country prepares for the next general election cycle.
