Power rotation: Atiku’s aide slams Tinubu’s spokesman, says nobody owns Nigeria

The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday faulted comments by presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, over the North-South power rotation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Onanuga had insisted that President Bola Tinubu must complete two terms in office, arguing that the South should retain power until 2031 after the eight-year tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

His position has, however, drawn criticism from opposition figures who described it as unconstitutional and anti-democratic.

Reacting in a post on his X handle, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, accused the Presidency of attempting to undermine democracy and silence opposition voices.

He wrote, “Dear Onanuga, let me tell you clearly. No presidential aide, no matter how loud or reckless, has the authority to rewrite the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or reduce democracy to a regional entitlement scheme. Power rotation is a political convention, not a constitutional decree and certainly not a tool to silence credible opposition.

“This tired attempt to bully Atiku out of the race reeks of fear, not principle. The same people who shredded zoning within their own party when it suited them now pretend to be its custodians. Hypocrisy has never worn such a cheap costume. Let’s dismantle this lazy narrative.”

Shaibu accused the Presidency of hypocrisy, noting that those now defending zoning had previously disregarded it when convenient.

He also criticised the use of the late former President Umaru Yar’Adua’s death as a political justification, calling it morally wrong.

“First, the 2023 election was not lost because of zoning. It was lost through a toxic cocktail of state-backed interference, institutional compromise, and electoral irregularities that Nigerians have not forgotten. So spare us the revisionist history.

“Secondly, invoking the unfortunate passing of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as a political excuse in 2026 is not just disingenuous—it is morally bankrupt. A national tragedy should not be weaponised to justify mediocrity or shield failure.

“Thirdly, the notion that President Tinubu ‘must complete eight years’ is the most anti-democratic statement anyone can make in a constitutional republic. Presidents are not crowned for eight years—they are elected, and they can be voted out,” he stated.

Shaibu insisted that Nigeria belongs to all citizens, not any region or political bloc, and blamed the current administration’s performance for its reliance on zoning arguments.

He said, “Let’s be frank: if this administration had delivered even a fraction of the competence it promised, you wouldn’t be hiding behind zoning as a shield. You would be campaigning on performance. But there is no performance, only propaganda. That line about Peter Obi “bolting out” of ADC is nothing but panic speaking.

“It betrays a camp around @officialABAT that is clearly rattled by the mere idea of a united opposition. You don’t dictate who joins or leaves a coalition; you only expose your fear when you try. Obi doesn’t take instructions from jittery aides in Abuja. If your government had anything solid to campaign on, you wouldn’t be busy hallucinating cracks in the opposition.

“As for the cheap jab about ‘perennial candidate,” it only exposes your anxiety. You don’t attack a man repeatedly unless he remains your biggest threat. Atiku does not need your permission to run. He does not need validation from aides who confuse loyalty with noise. And come 2027, it will not be aides, nor propaganda, nor recycled talking points that decide Nigeria’s future, it will be the Nigerian people.”

The exchange followed Onanuga’s earlier post on Wednesday, where he described Atiku’s position on power rotation as “self-serving” and aimed at disrupting the established North-South arrangement.