Politics
Why Atiku can’t be president in 2027 – Okupe
A former spokesman and ex-Director-General of the Peter Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has stated that the South, and not the North, should produce the president in 2027.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos, Okupe argued that fairness demands that the South completes its eight-year term, similar to the North before the emergence of President Bola Tinubu.
Okupe acknowledged that although Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate in 2023, is eminently qualified to contest in 2027, geopolitical considerations make it inappropriate for him to assume the presidency at that time.
“Atiku failed in 2023 not because he was not a good person but because people felt that a northern Muslim could not succeed another northern Muslim after eight years,” Okupe said.
“If Atiku contests in 2027, he has the right. He is eminently qualified and one of the best we have, but geopolitics is an issue.
“The conditionality still persists: a southerner would have just completed four years and needs another four-year term.
“It’s not in the constitution, but we agree that when a northerner does his eight years, a southerner will do the same.
“So, the North cannot now terminate the tenure of the South in 2027. It is not going to work.”
Okupe also highlighted that Mr. Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, could vie for the presidency in 2027 as a southerner.
However, he expressed doubt that Obi could unseat Tinubu, noting the incumbent president’s progress in governing the country.
“Obi can contest. Obi is a young man, very dynamic and very ambitious. But geopolitics is important in a country that has not achieved horizontal and vertical unity.
“The person who is occupying the place right now, Tinubu, is also a southerner, who is doing well.
“We can see what this gentleman (Tinubu) is doing. I wish Obi luck, but it is going to be an uphill task,” Okupe said.
Regarding potential alliances of politicians and parties to unseat Tinubu in 2027, Okupe said such coalitions would likely fail due to an inability to make necessary concessions
“I have been in this game for over 40 years. I came into politics in 1978. I have been in several talks and discussions and represented my party and movement in several alliances.
“We have not attained the maturity to be rational, reasonable, and ready to make the necessary concessions for group interest. We are not there yet.
“Even in private businesses, 90 percent of partnerships crumble within the first three years.
“I wish those attempting alliances luck, but it is going to end the same way it always does—futility,” Okupe said.
Reflecting on the alliance that brought ex-President Buhari to power in 2015, Okupe acknowledged Tinubu’s pivotal role, stating that Tinubu made significant concessions to ensure its success.
“The man who spearheaded that alliance had grown beyond naivety and selfishness.
“You set up an alliance, cook food, and invite others to eat. Tinubu conceded everything to make it work,” he said.
Okupe expressed doubt that opposition leaders like Atiku, Peter Obi, and Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso would demonstrate similar maturity or willingness to concede to one another in 2027.
Speaking about Tinubu’s performance, Okupe commended the president’s clarity of purpose and direction.
“Nigeria is lucky that Tinubu won the 2023 presidential election. He has purpose, zeal, and clarity of mind about where he wants to lead the country.
“It took Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore 31 years to bring Singapore from nowhere to a first-world country.
“It is either we want this country to move forward and be upgraded, or we want to keep playing politics and destroying the lives of our children,” Okupe concluded.
A Gombe Federal High Court has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to conduct a fresh primary election for its governorship ticket in Gombe State.
Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed gave the order while ruling on a suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry to challenge the emergence of Prof. Isa Ali Pantami as the PDP governorship candidate in the state.
Garry had challenged Pantami’s emergence after the party announced him as its sole candidate on June 26, 2026, arguing that the required primary election was not conducted.
Pantami, who was a gubernatorial aspirant in the All Progressives Congress, APC, had defected to the PDP after the APC settled for Jamilu Gwamna as its consensus candidate in Gombe.
Pantami subsequently secured the PDP ticket through voice affirmation during the party’s governorship primary held in May.
But in its judgment delivered on Thursday, the court ordered the PDP to conduct a fresh primary election in Gombe State, in accordance with the party’s guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, presidential running mate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has blamed President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, particularly the removal of fuel subsidy, for what he described as Nigeria’s current economic crisis.
Kwankwaso said the decision to remove the petrol subsidy immediately after Tinubu assumed office in 2023 was implemented without adequate measures to cushion its impact on Nigerians.
Speaking on Arise Television on Wednesday, the former New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate said the government should have considered the potential consequences of the policy before implementing it.
“Bola Tinubu decided to remove the subsidy and the consequences we thought would happen certainly happened,” Kwankwaso said.
According to him, the subsidy was removed abruptly without sufficient consideration of the wider economic implications.
“He removed it immediately without looking at all the possible issues. That is how we found ourselves in this total mess economically,” he said.
Tinubu announced the removal of the petrol subsidy during his inauguration at Eagle Square in Abuja on May 29, 2023, ending the subsidy regime that had kept petrol prices artificially lower but had also imposed a significant cost on government finances.
The policy was followed by a sharp increase in petrol prices, with subsequent increases contributing to higher transportation and living costs across the country.
Kwankwaso maintained that Nigerians should be able to access petrol at a more affordable price, arguing that the government should take steps to reduce the burden of fuel costs on citizens.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified Abubakar Babazango’s nomination as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Yola North, Yola South and Girei Federal Constituency of Adamawa State in the 2027 general elections.
The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Abubakar Bashir as the winner of the ADC primary election conducted for the constituency on May 21, 2026, and as the party’s candidate for the House of Representatives seat.
Justice Chigozie S. Onah delivered the judgment on September 17, 2026, in a suit filed by Bashir against the ADC, INEC and Babazango.
The dispute arose after Bashir emerged as the winner of the party’s primary but Babazango was subsequently submitted as the ADC candidate for the 2027 election.
According to the results cited in the court proceedings, Bashir won the primary with 33,931 votes, defeating six other aspirants.
Zayyad Tumba came second with 16,266 votes, while Yusuf Garba polled 14,611 votes. Abubakar Mohammed scored 10,035 votes, Abubakar Gabdo received 8,022 votes, and Abdulaziz Abubakar secured 4,501 votes.
Babazango polled 4,359 votes, placing seventh among the seven aspirants.
Bashir subsequently challenged the substitution of his name with that of Babazango, asking the court to recognise him as the rightful winner of the primary and ADC candidate for the constituency.
In its judgment, the court held that the process through which Babazango’s name was accepted and published as the winner was inconsistent with the ADC’s Constitution and guidelines.
Justice Onah specifically referred to Section 12 of the ADC Guidelines for the Conduct of Primary Elections, which provides for the substitution of a declared winner only in circumstances involving the winner’s death or withdrawal.
The court found that neither condition applied to Bashir.
Consequently, the court set aside Babazango’s declaration and nomination and restrained him from presenting himself as the ADC candidate for the constituency in the 2027 general elections.
The court further directed INEC to recognise Bashir as the winner of the May 21 primary and as the ADC candidate for the Yola North/Yola South/Girei Federal Constituency.
The court also ordered the ADC to recognise Bashir as its duly elected candidate and held that the party was required to comply with the Electoral Act 2026 and its own nomination guidelines.
Babazango had sought to retain his seat in the House of Representatives after defecting from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the ADC.
Bashir had also asked the court for N25 million in litigation costs. The court declined the claim for solicitors’ fees but awarded N1 million in costs against the ADC and another N1 million against Babazango.
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