2023 Presidency: Atiku Sparks Anger In South East

By James Orji

Presidential hopeful Atiku Abubakar has sparked anger in the south eastern part of the country after he urged the people of the region to wait for another four years for one of their own to become president.

Atiku spoke barely few hours after Hakeem Afegbua, one of his former spokesperson said the Nigerian presidency is not Atiku’s patrimony.

Afegbua, a  former commissioner for Information in Edo state said on Sunday that the former number two citizen is too old to contest for president next year.

The magazine learnt that Atiku’s admonition has not been well received by Igbo who have been clamouring for somebody from the region to succeed incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari whose tenure expires in 2023.

“After supporting his presidential aspiration in 2019 we believe that that what is right for the former vice president is to support the south east to produce the country’s next president. This is not the only right thing to do at this time that the feelings across the country supports and Igbo president, but Atiku should know that Igbo have always supported him,” a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain from Anambra who spoke under anonymity told the magazine on Tuesday.

Not a few Nigerians insist on power shift to the south east to promote equity and justice as no politician from the region has ruled the country since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

Agitation for power shift to the south east has gained momentum recently with many Igbo politicians expressing their interest to contest for the nation’s top job.

Some presidential hopefuls from the region include, Antim Pius Amyim, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state, Peter Obi, a former PDP vice presidential candidate, Orji Uzo Kalu, a former governor and Senate Chief Whip and a host of others.

The feeling in the southeast is that Atiku should support one of the PDP presidential aspirants to succeed Buhari, having received massive support from the south east during the 2019 presidential election.

But Atiku said the region should support his presidential ambition, in turn he will back any candidate from the area in 2027.

The PDP chieftain made this known through Raymond Dokpesi, the leader of the technical committee, Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign in Umuahia, Abia state on Monday.

According to Dokpesi, it’s only Atiku that has the capacity to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The media mogul said the North would ensure that power return to the south east in 2027, as Atiku will only rule for four years.

Dokpesi said “Our party believes in rotation of the office of president between the North and South for two-term of eight years, according to the Nigerian constitution.

“That was why former President Olusegun Obasanjo handed over to Late Umaru Ya’Adua, but after his death, former President Goodluck Jonathan took over and completed his first term.

“Jonathan also asked for another four years which was given to him, but when he started asking for another term in 2015, the North felt it was against the zoning agreement of the party.

“So we went for into the election with a divided house and we lost. That is why we have reasoned that for us to wrestle power from APC we need a strong presidential candidate from the North

“Since it’s believed that North-East and South-East are the two geo-political zones that have not produced the president, we felt that Atiku, coming from the North-East is a strong candidate for the job”.