Why Atiku Can’t Be President In 2027 – Okupe

Former spokesperson and Director-Common of Peter Obi’s Presidential Marketing campaign Organisation, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has acknowledged that the South, not the North, ought to produce Nigeria’s president in 2027.

Talking with the Information Company of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos, Okupe argued that geopolitical issues make it unfair for the North to reclaim the presidency after President Bola Tinubu’s tenure.

Okupe acknowledged that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is eminently certified to run in 2027.

Nevertheless, he contended that Atiku’s candidacy would face the identical challenges as in 2023 when his bid was perceived as disrupting the North-South energy rotation.

The ex-presidential spokesman mentioned the issue with the thought of Atiku’s presidency in 2027 is geopolitics, not age, including that the South ought to be allowed to finish its eight-year time period, simply because the North did earlier than Tinubu’s coming.

Okupe mentioned, “Atiku failed in 2023, not as a result of he was not a very good particular person, however as a result of individuals felt {that a} northern Muslim can’t succeed one other northern Muslim after eight years.

“If Atiku nonetheless contests in 2027, he has a proper. He’s eminently certified and among the best we now have, however geopolitics is a matter.

“The conditionality nonetheless persists, a Southerner would have simply accomplished 4 years and desires one other four-year time period.

“It’s not within the structure, however we agree that when a Northerner does his eight years, a Southerner will do.

“So, the North can’t now terminate the tenure of the South in 2027. It isn’t going to work.”

The ex-LP chieftain mentioned Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party might additionally vie for the very best workplace within the nation in 2027 as a southerner.

He, nevertheless, mentioned it might be tough for Obi to dislodge Tinubu because the President.

“Obi can contest. Obi is a younger man, very dynamic and really formidable; however geopolitics is necessary in a rustic that has not achieved horizontal and vertical unity.

“The one that is occupying the place proper now, Tinubu, can also be a Southerner, who’s doing effectively.

“We are able to see what this gentleman (Tinubu) is doing. I want Obi luck, however it’ll be an uphill process,” he mentioned.

On whether or not alliances of politicians and events might unseat Tinubu in 2027, Okupe mentioned he didn’t see any political gang-up working in opposition to the president.

In line with him, alliances in opposition to Tinubu will fail as a result of the contributors won’t be prepared to offer concessions.

Okupe acknowledged, “I’ve been on this recreation for 40 years and above. I got here into politics in 1978. I’ve been in a number of talks, and discussions and I’ve represented my celebration, and my motion in a number of alliances.

“We’ve not attained that maturity to get to the extent of being rational and cheap and able to give the required concession for a bunch curiosity. We’re not there but.

“Even when you take a look at our personal companies, go and verify, 90 per cent of enterprise partnerships will crumble throughout the first three years.

“I want those that are attempting alliance, I want them luck however it’ll find yourself the identical approach it has all the time ended up. All of the alliances will find yourself in futility.”

On the alliance that introduced ex-President Buhari in 2015, Okupe mentioned that although he criticised the alliance, the chief of the alliance, Tinubu, conceded the whole lot to make it work.

“The person who spearheaded that alliance has grown past this structure of naivety and selfishness.

“You place up an alliance, you arrange a eating desk, you cook dinner meals, and say different individuals ought to go and eat it. It isn’t finished anyplace.

“Every little thing, he conceded, in order that the factor might work,” he mentioned.

He expressed doubt within the readiness and willingness of opposition leaders corresponding to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (PDP), Peter Obi (LP), and Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso, mulling an alliance in opposition to Tinubu in 2027, to concede for each other.

“Should you take a look at it very effectively, that form of maturity doesn’t exist,” Okupe added.