[Video] 2027: Presidency will be determined in the North — Atiku’s camp

By Ayobami Okerinde

Demola Olarewaju, the senior political assistant to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has said the North will play the decisive role in determining the outcome of the 2027 presidential election.

Olarewaju stated this during an interview on Vanguard Politics Hub while discussing the regional dynamics likely to shape the next general election.

According to him, the North has historically operated as a more cohesive political bloc than the southern part of the country, where voting patterns are often influenced by diverse ethnic and regional interests.

“I don’t believe it’s the South. I think you have the Igbos, who are very different culturally and historically from the Yorubas of the southwest, who are very different historically and culturally from the various ethnicities that are in the Niger Delta.

“The northern region has always existed as a political block; even in the pre-independence politics of Ahmadu Bello, Tafawa Balewa, and all the rest of them, the North insisted on being just one entity in 1979 within the MP and the ruling party.”

Despite his position on the North’s influence, Olarewaju said Atiku would continue to seek votes across all parts of the country and campaign as a pan-Nigerian candidate.

“This election will be determined by the North, but that is not to say that we would not be in for votes from all across the South. Atiku Abubakar has always been a pan-Nigerian and will be campaigning all over the entire country, and we believe that Nigerians will key into our message ahead of 2027,” he said.

He expressed confidence that Atiku would defeat President Bola Tinubu if the election were conducted in a free and fair manner.

“One on one, I think Atiku Abubakar will defeat Bola Tinubu every day of the week and twice on Sunday. If Nigerians ignore distractions and vote in one direction, Bola Tinubu will definitely be unseated.

“We are not ignorant of the powers of the incumbent and the desperation of this particular incumbent. We know how they control everything federal, but what we do know is that if this is an election that will be conducted by Nigerians, if an election that will be conducted for Nigerians, Atiku Abubakar will definitely win.”

The former vice president’s aide also argued that opposition parties must avoid fragmentation if they hope to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress successfully.

According to him, opposition leaders must work together to prevent a repeat of the 2023 scenario where votes were split among multiple candidates.

“When we say the opposition should unite, what we mean is that we should not give room for rigging. Let the margin be too wide to be manipulated,” he said.

Responding to a question on whether Atiku would retire from politics if he loses the 2027 presidential election, Olarewaju said the focus should be on the implications of the election for ordinary Nigerians rather than the former vice president’s political future.

“Well, I do not know how to answer questions like that. We are going to do our best to win, and I think this is bigger than Atiku Abubakar. If Atiku Abubakar quits politics today, he has already been a success in politics. He is a former vice president of Nigeria, and nobody can take that away from him. So, Atiku Abubakar will be fine, but what about ordinary Nigerians like you and me who go to the market to buy things? Are we going to be fine?

“There is more danger for ordinary Nigerians if the APC rigs itself into victory because, for me, that is the only way the APC can win. If people make it an ethnic affair and keep talking about Yorubas and other groups, perhaps they can also win that way. But I want to focus more on how the 2027 election will affect ordinary Nigerians.

“Atiku Abubakar is going to be fine regardless of what happens in 2027, but ordinary Nigerians, I’m not so sure.”