“If elected, I’ll make rotational presidency a constitutional provision” — Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president of Nigeria, says he will push for a constitutional amendment to formalise rotational presidency if elected in 2027.

Speaking on Wednesday during an appearance on *Prime Time*, a programme on Arise Television, Abubakar stated that embedding power rotation in the constitution would create a clearer and more balanced framework for leadership distribution across the country.

He said the move would be a priority for his administration. “If I am president, even if it is the only amendment I can make, I would move towards that,” he said.

Abubakar also highlighted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains the only political party in Nigeria with a formal zoning arrangement in its constitution. According to him, other parties have informally adopted similar practices.

On the historical distribution of presidential power, Abubakar argued that the southern region has held office longer than the north. He noted that the south has governed for 18 years, compared to 10 years for the north, raising questions about regional balance.

Reflecting on past constitutional debates, Abubakar recalled opposing a proposal for rotational presidency put forward by the late Alex Ekwueme. He said the proposal failed at the time due to lack of support among delegates.

Abubakar acknowledged that he later reconsidered his position. He said he admitted regret during Ekwueme’s funeral, noting that supporting the amendment could have ensured a more inclusive rotation of the presidency across all regions.

He maintained that making rotational presidency a constitutional provision remains, in his view, the most equitable approach to power-sharing in Nigeria.