By Jude Opara
A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has urged the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to respect the principle of power rotation by allowing the South to complete its turn in the presidency.
Okechukwu made the call while reacting to an appeal by the Southern Political Progressive Amalgamation Forum, which had advised Atiku to carefully consider his choice of a running mate ahead of the 2027 presidential election to strengthen his support in the South.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) rejected the group’s position, arguing that abandoning the zoning arrangement had contributed to the internal crisis that engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He urged the former vice president to return to the zoning convention, insisting that adherence to the principle would deepen Nigeria’s democracy and promote political stability.
According to Okechukwu, Atiku had previously acknowledged the importance of zoning during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and should remain committed to the principle, having also benefited from it.
He added that it was not too late for the former vice president to embrace the zoning arrangement, advising him to focus on strengthening the opposition rather than directing criticism at President Bola Tinubu.
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