Lagos, Nigeria – Former Director-General of Peter Obi’s Presidential Campaign Organisation, Dr Doyin Okupe, has called for the South to retain Nigeria’s presidency in 2027, arguing that geopolitical balance should guide the country’s leadership rotation.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos, Okupe stated that while former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is qualified to contest, his candidacy would likely face similar resistance as in 2023, when his bid was perceived as disrupting the North-South rotation agreement.
Geopolitical Considerations
Okupe emphasised that the South should complete its eight-year tenure following President Bola Tinubu’s term, just as the North did under President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “Atiku failed in 2023, not because he was not a good person, but because people felt that a northern Muslim cannot succeed another northern Muslim after eight years.
“If Atiku still contests in 2027, he has a 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 is not in the constitution, but we agree that when a Northerner does his eight years, a Southerner will do.
“So, the North cannot now terminate the tenure of the South in 2027. It is not going to work.”
Prospects for Peter Obi
On the possibility of Peter Obi contesting again, Okupe acknowledged Obi’s dynamism and ambition but argued that defeating Tinubu in 2027 would be a challenging task.
“Obi is a young man, very dynamic and 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. I wish Obi luck, but it is going to be an uphill task,” he said.
Doubts on Opposition Alliances
Okupe expressed scepticism about the ability of opposition parties and leaders, including Atiku, Obi, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, to form a successful alliance against Tinubu in 2027.
He argued that Nigeria’s political landscape lacks the maturity and willingness to make necessary concessions for collective interest.
“I have been in this game for over 40 years. Alliances in Nigeria often fail because participants are not ready to make concessions.
“I wish those trying to form an alliance luck, but it will end up the same way it has always ended—futile.”
Okupe contrasted this with the alliance that brought former President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015, highlighting Tinubu’s decisive concessions as key to its success.
“The man who spearheaded that alliance [Tinubu] grew beyond naivety and selfishness. He conceded everything to make it work. That kind of maturity does not currently exist among opposition leaders,” he concluded.
Implications
Okupe’s comments underscore the enduring significance of geopolitical considerations in Nigeria’s politics, as well as the challenges facing opposition parties in forming cohesive alliances to challenge incumbents.
