The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and former Vice president Atiku Abubakar have taken a swipe at the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume for saying President Bola Tinubu would stay in power till 2031.
In its reaction to Akume’s statement, the ACF spokesperson, Prof. Tukur Muhammad Baba, told The PUNCH in Kaduna on Monday that it was too early to start debating the 2027 Presidency.
Baba said the ACF won’t take a partisan stance on who should be voted for or against, noting that its primary concern was the wellbeing of the electorate.
He, however, said “We thought concentration should be on good governance and delivery of services to the electorate,” he said.
Baba said this was not the time to talk about the 2027 Presidency, adding that it was a distraction from the more pressing issues facing the country.
He said “We think the focus should be on good governance and the delivery of good dividends of democracy to the people.
“This talk of 2027 is too early, and it’s a distraction to the dialogue that should be taking place. Is democracy paying off for the people? Should the government do something for the people? This is what should preoccupy the minds of Nigerians, not the 2027 Presidency.”
Atiku also faulted the timing of Akume’s talk, saying there is still six-year difference in the length of time the North and South have held the Presidency.
Atiku’s spokesperson, Paul Ibe, in a statement, said by 2027, the South would have had 17 years of leadership.
Atiku stated, “Where, then, does true equity and fairness reside? By the year 2027, the South would have enjoyed 17 years of leadership — eight years under Obasanjo, five years under Jonathan, and four years under Tinubu — while the North would have experienced only 11 years, with Yar’Adua serving three and Buhari eight.
“This resulted in a disparity of six years between the North and South, casting a shadow over the balance of power.
“In any case, the power to elect and vote out their government lies firmly with the Nigerian people, entrusted to them upon the government’s ability to prove itself worthy of the people’s ballot. But has the Tinubu government demonstrated that it deserves to be re-elected? The answer, alas, is as clear as the heavens themselves — God forbid.”
