APC chieftain urges Atiku to step aside from 2027 race, act as statesman

APC chieftain Osita Okechukwu urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to step aside from the 2027 presidential race and embrace the role of a statesman. Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, July 20, 2026, Okechukwu argued that Atiku’s decision to contest the PDP presidential ticket in 2022, despite calls to zone the ticket to the South, weakened the opposition party and Nigeria’s democracy. He said the breach of the rotation convention caused collateral damage that weakened the PDP, noting that if Atiku had allowed a southern candidate to run in 2022, the party could have remained strong even if it lost the election. Okechukwu also pointed out that Atiku’s criticism of President Bola Tinubu over alleged moves toward a one‑party state ignores the internal decisions that weakened the PDP. He recalled that in 2014 Atiku left the PDP, told the party it was the north’s turn, joined the APC, ran and came third, then returned to the PDP; in the 2018 PDP primaries no southern aspirant participated. Okechukwu concluded that had Atiku acted as a statesman in 2014 and 2022, the opposition would be in a stronger position to challenge the ruling party in 2027.

Why does this matter to Nigerians? It highlights the internal fractures within the main opposition party and raises questions about whether personal ambitions are undermining efforts to present a credible alternative to the ruling APC. The call for statesmanship touches on broader debates about party zoning, internal democracy, and the health of Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.

What should readers consider? Should opposition leaders prioritize regional zoning and party unity over individual presidential ambitions, and what steps could strengthen the opposition’s ability to offer a genuine choice in the next election?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/21/2027-why-atiku-needs-to-step-aside-osita-okechukwu/