Prominent members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) have advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to abandon his ambitions for the 2027 presidential election. Diran Odeyemi, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee, and Anslem Eragbe, an LP chieftain, argue that it is time for the South to govern for the next eight years.
Eragbe asserted that Atiku should not have contested the 2023 presidential election, emphasizing that it was the South’s turn to lead. He insisted that the 2027 presidency should be zoned to the South-South region, which has had the least representation at the presidency, having only five years under Goodluck Jonathan.
Both chieftains believe that Atiku’s participation in the previous election contributed to the current crisis within the PDP. Odeyemi suggested that the party would stabilize if Atiku refrained from declaring interest in 2027. He lamented that the 2023 election should have been a contest among southern candidates since the North had just completed eight years with former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Eragbe and Odeyemi called for credible candidates from both parties to be identified, emphasizing the importance of equity, justice, and fairness in the political landscape. They urged political parties to focus on selecting leaders who can genuinely represent the interests of Nigerians.
