Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has cautioned opposition parties against zoning the 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria, warning that such a move could strengthen the re-election chances of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

In a statement released by his camp, Atiku argued that presenting a southern candidate to challenge a sitting southern president lacks political strategy and does not align with Nigeria’s democratic precedents.

The statement stressed that opposition actors should prioritise building a strong and united coalition capable of unseating the incumbent, rather than adopting what it described as symbolic or sentimental decisions.

“At the core of the question is: how does a Southern opposition candidate realistically unseat a sitting Southern president?” the statement queried, adding that such an approach risks entering the contest at a disadvantage.

Atiku’s camp further maintained that if opposition parties insist on zoning the presidency to the South, it may inadvertently pave the way for Tinubu’s return by weakening the opposition’s electoral strength and national appeal.

The statement also criticised proponents of southern zoning, describing their position as disconnected from current political realities and driven more by sentiment than strategic calculation. It urged opposition leaders to focus on pragmatic electoral planning and broad-based alliances.

On power rotation, the former vice president’s camp argued that by 2027, the South would have held the presidency for a longer period compared to the North, raising concerns about equity in the zoning debate.

While acknowledging the Southeast’s aspiration to produce a president, the statement warned against what it termed “symbolic tokenism” and called for a more credible and sustainable pathway to achieving national leadership.

Atiku’s camp concluded by urging opposition stakeholders to concentrate on building a formidable national coalition capable of defeating the incumbent, rather than engaging in divisive zoning controversies ahead of the 2027 general election.