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Atiku Abubakar Camp Warns Southern Candidate Cannot Beat Tinubu in 2027
Atiku Abubakar’s camp warns that a southern opposition candidate may struggle to unseat President Tinubu in the 2027 election
The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned opposition parties against zoning their 2027 presidential ticket exclusively to the South, arguing that such a move could strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s re-election chances.
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In a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, Atiku’s media aide, Olusola Sanni, said the opposition risks repeating a political strategy that may lack electoral effectiveness if it mirrors the ruling party’s southern zoning arrangement.
He cautioned that political strategy should be driven by realistic calculations, coalition-building, and historical voting patterns rather than sentiment or regional balancing arguments.
According to him, fielding a southern presidential candidate against an incumbent southern president would be politically difficult, citing Nigeria’s electoral history as evidence.
Sanni argued that no incumbent president in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic has been defeated by a challenger from the same geopolitical region, warning that such an approach may weaken the opposition’s chances in 2027.
He also addressed arguments around zoning equity, stating that by 2027, the South would have held power longer than the North under the current democratic dispensation.
The statement further noted that this imbalance raises questions about fairness in calls for continued southern leadership under a rotational framework.
The Atiku camp also accused some political actors of inconsistency in their stance on zoning, referencing past support for former President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2011 presidential bid despite prior informal arrangements favouring the North.
Sanni argued that political principles should remain consistent regardless of personal or regional advantage, warning against what he described as selective application of fairness.
While acknowledging the South-East’s ambition to produce a president, the statement stressed the need for a broader and more strategic national coalition capable of winning elections.
It cautioned against reducing political aspirations to symbolic gestures or arrangements designed around individual interests rather than national viability.
The camp urged opposition parties to prioritise strategy over emotion, insisting that defeating an incumbent president requires careful planning and unity across regions.
Also read: Nigerian Army Deploys Armoured Vehicles Ahead of Maiduguri Protest
The statement has added fresh momentum to ongoing debates around zoning, coalition politics and succession strategies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed that all 25 people aboard its ATR-42 aircraft, NAF 931, died after the aircraft crashed in the Igbokoda area of Ondo State.
The aircraft, which had five crew members and 20 passengers on board, was on a routine mission from Benin to Lagos when the NAF 931 aircraft crash occurred on Monday, October 5, 2026. Search-and-rescue operations were immediately activated following the accident.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the incident as a deeply painful moment for the Nigerian Air Force and the country, while extending condolences to the families, colleagues and loved ones of those who died.
Aneke assured the bereaved families of the Nigerian Air Force’s full support as they come to terms with the loss.
The Air Force said no survivors had been found and released the names of the five crew members and 20 passengers on board the aircraft.
The crew members were identified as Squadron Leader M.I. Aburime, Flight Captain; Squadron Leader A.P. Man-Ugwueje, Co-pilot; Flight Lieutenant I.S. Bako, Co-pilot; Warrant Officer A. Abubakar, Aircraft Technician; and Corporal H.C. Uguru, Aircraft Technician.
The 20 passengers were Flight Lieutenant T.L. Lazarus; Flight Lieutenant M. Akinloye; Flying Officer I.M. Adeshina; Master Warrant Officer F. Onwuka; Master Warrant Officer B.A. Matini; Warrant Officer F.S. Nuhu; Flight Sergeant R.B. James; Flight Sergeant A.I. Mohammed; Sergeant A.E. Ani; Sergeant S.I. Izibenikien; Sergeant C. Alafuka; Sergeant A.N. Mbadugha; Lance Corporal F.C. Ugwuba; Lance Corporal G.E. Eledan; Mrs Ezeh Nneka; Godstmine Tarabina; Joy Micheal; Sunday Micheal; Ukeme David; and Gideon Omotola.
The latest figure released by the Air Force differs from the initial information provided after the crash. Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo had initially said 32 people, comprising 25 passengers and seven crew members, were aboard the aircraft. The Nigerian Air Force subsequently clarified that the manifest contained 25 people, made up of five crew members and 20 passengers.
The aircraft crashed in a swampy area around Igbokoda, close to a naval base, after air traffic controllers lost contact with it at about 9:13am while it was travelling from Benin to Lagos. The wreckage was later located and rescue teams were deployed to the area.
The cause of the crash has not been established. The Chief of the Air Staff has directed a comprehensive investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
President Bola Tinubu had also directed the Nigerian Air Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the crash and declared three days of national mourning for the personnel who died. He ordered that national flags be flown at half-mast throughout the country in honour of the victims.
The Air Force said it would continue to provide timely and verified information as the investigation progresses. It also urged members of the public to avoid speculation and the circulation of unverified information, while respecting the privacy and dignity of the affected families.
A condolence register has been opened at the Headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force in Abuja for senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, heads of security agencies and other well-wishers who wish to pay their respects and convey messages of sympathy to the families of the deceased and the Nigerian Air Force.
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