Atiku's aide criticizes Tinubu's spokesman over 2027 power rotation comments

Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has criticized comments made by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga regarding the North-South power rotation ahead of the 2027 elections. Onanuga had stated that President Bola Tinubu should complete two terms, arguing the South should retain power until 2031 after former President Muhammadu Buhari's eight-year tenure. Shaibu accused the Presidency of attempting to undermine democracy and silence opposition voices, asserting that no presidential aide has the authority to rewrite the Constitution or reduce democracy to a regional entitlement scheme. He emphasized that power rotation is a political convention, not a constitutional decree. Shaibu also accused the Presidency of hypocrisy for defending zoning after previously disregarding it, and criticized the use of the late former President Umaru Yar’Adua’s death as a political justification. He stated that the 2023 election was not lost due to zoning but through interference and irregularities. Shaibu maintained that the notion of President Tinubu "must complete eight years" is anti-democratic, as presidents are elected and can be voted out. He insisted that Nigeria belongs to all citizens and blamed the current administration's reliance on zoning arguments on its performance. Shaibu's comments followed Onanuga's earlier post describing Atiku's stance on power rotation as "self-serving."