Atiku’s Position Triggers Coalition Crisis

Atiku’s Position Triggers Coalition Crisis

Fresh divisions have opened within Nigeria’s opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar pushed for a northern presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu.

His camp argued that no southern opposition candidate could defeat a sitting southern president, sparking resistance from several opposition parties and political groups across the country.

Parties including All Progressives Grand Alliance, Labour Party, Social Democratic Party and New Nigeria People’s Party rejected the position, insisting the presidency should remain in the South for fairness and political balance.

Supporters of zoning warned that abandoning the North-South arrangement could deepen tensions within the opposition and weaken coalition talks ahead of the election.

Former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and allies of Peter Obi also faulted Atiku’s position, saying competence and national unity should matter more than regional calculations.

Labour Party officials pointed to the 2023 election, where multiple southern candidates contested and one still emerged victorious, dismissing claims that a southern challenger cannot defeat Tinubu.

The disagreement has added fresh pressure to ongoing coalition negotiations among opposition figures seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.

Political observers believe the growing battle over zoning and power rotation could shape the structure of opposition alliances and determine who eventually leads the coalition into the next presidential race.