‘Presidents Aren’t Crowned’,’ Atiku Camp Fires Back at Onanuga

A fresh war of words erupted in Nigeria’s political space after a presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, was sharply criticised over comments perceived as defending a rigid North-South power rotation ahead of the 2027 elections. In a strongly worded response posted on his X (formerly Twitter): @phrankangel, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to […]

A fresh war of words erupted in Nigeria’s political space after a presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, was sharply criticised over comments perceived as defending a rigid North-South power rotation ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a strongly worded response posted on his X (formerly Twitter): @phrankangel, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku Abubakar, accused the presidency of attempting to subvert democratic principles and silence opposition voices.

The controversy was triggered by remarks from Bayo Onanuga, who, reacting to a live interview granted by Atiku Abubakar on Arise TV, insisted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “must complete eight years” in office in line with the North-South power rotation arrangement. Onanuga argued that having succeeded a northern president who served two terms, it is now the South’s turn to retain power until 2031—an assertion that has since sparked fierce backlash from opposition figures who describe it as unconstitutional and fundamentally anti-democratic.

Quoting his full response, Shaibu wrote: “Dear @aonanuga1956, let me tell u clearly: no presidential aide, no matter how loud or reckless, has the authority to rewrite the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or reduce democracy to a regional entitlement scheme. Power rotation is a political convention, not a constitutional decree and certainly not a tool to silence credible opposition.

“This tired attempt to bully @atiku out of the race reeks of fear, not principle. The same people who shredded zoning within their own party when it suited them now pretend to be its custodians. Hypocrisy has never worn such a cheap costume.
“Let’s dismantle this lazy narrative.

“First, the 2023 election was not lost because of zoning. It was lost through a toxic cocktail of state-backed interference, institutional compromise, and electoral irregularities that Nigerians have not forgotten. So spare us the revisionist history.
Second, invoking the unfortunate passing of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as a political excuse in 2026 is not just disingenuous—it is morally bankrupt. A national tragedy should not be weaponized to justify mediocrity or shield failure.

“Third, the notion that @officialABAT “must complete eight years” is the most anti-democratic statement anyone can make in a constitutional republic. Presidents are not crowned for eight years—they are elected, and they can be voted out.

“That is the essence of democracy your camp seems to have conveniently forgotten. Nigeria does not belong to any region, any rotation cartel, or any political clique. It belongs to Nigerians. I mean, all Nigerians who are today groaning under the weight of disastrous policies, crushing inflation, and a government that has clearly lost its moral and economic compass.

“And let’s be frank: if this administration had delivered even a fraction of the competence it promised, you wouldn’t be hiding behind zoning as a shield. You would be campaigning on performance. But there is no performance, only propaganda.
That line about @PeterObi “bolting out” of ADC is nothing but panic speaking.

“It betrays a camp around @officialABAT that is clearly rattled by the mere idea of a united opposition. You don’t dictate who joins or leaves a coalition, you only expose your fear when you try.

“@PeterObi doesn’t take instructions from jittery aides in Abuja. And if your government had anything solid to campaign on, you wouldn’t be busy hallucinating cracks in the opposition.

“As for the cheap jab about “perennial candidate,” it only exposes your anxiety. You don’t attack a man repeatedly unless he remains your biggest threat.

“So here is the reality your camp must come to terms with: @atiku does not need your permission to run. He does not need validation from aides who confuse loyalty with noise. And come 2027, it will not be aides, nor propaganda, nor recycled talking points that decide Nigeria’s future, it will be the Nigerian people. And they are watching. Closely.”

The exchange adds to the intensifying political rhetoric ahead of 2027, with opposition figures increasingly pushing back against what they describe as attempts to weaponise zoning and undermine coalition efforts involving figures like Peter Obi.