APC’s Okechukwu Labels Atiku an “Anti-Democrat” Over 2027 Remarks

A founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has described former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as an “anti-democrat” following his recent comments on the 2027 presidential race.

Atiku, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had told the BBC Hausa Service that he would support and mentor a younger candidate if such a person emerged through a competitive primary.

Reacting in a statement on Friday, Okechukwu argued that Atiku’s stance undermines Nigeria’s long-standing zoning and rotation convention, which he described as the “unity glue” sustaining the Fourth Republic since 1999.

He noted that Atiku was once a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement but has since opposed it, citing the 2014 PDP primary, which he won without southern contenders.

According to Okechukwu, prioritizing “dollarised primaries” over zoning represents “the height of anti-democratic conduct,” as it promotes money politics while eroding equity and inclusion.

He warned that Atiku’s comments confirm fears that his political ambition is less about strengthening institutions and more about weakening democratic principles that ensure fairness and stability in Nigeria’s plural society.