Okechukwu Faults ADC Over Atiku Candidacy, Warns Against Zoning Breach

Former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu, has criticised the African Democratic Congress, ADC, accusing the party of placing personal political ambition above national cohesion through the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential flag bearer.

Okechukwu, a foundation member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, made the remarks in a statement issued on Thursday in Enugu, where he faulted what he described as a breach of the established North-South rotational zoning arrangement in Nigeria’s presidential politics.

According to him, the emergence of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the ADC presidential candidate had raised “serious concerns over the unforced error of elevating personal ambition above the zoning convention.”

He argued that since the return to democratic rule in 1999, rotational presidency had largely promoted national cohesion, fairness, patriotism, and a sense of belonging among Nigerians.

“It amounts to political opportunism for the ADC to disregard the zoning principle at a time when virtually all major political parties — APC, PDP, LP, NDC — as well as the majority of Nigerians, subscribe to rotational presidency in the overriding national interest,” Okechukwu said.

“By its action, the ADC has chosen to return Nigeria to the old and divisive North-versus-South political morass.

“This made Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi reject the offer of vice president; and as speculated confirmed ADC as Atiku’s Special Purpose Vehicle, SPV,” he added.

Okechukwu maintained that Nigeria’s unity remained non-negotiable, insisting that no individual political ambition should supersede national stability and cohesion.

He noted that with the country still battling insecurity and insurgency, it was only patriotic for northern political leaders to allow the existing zoning understanding to continue until 2031.

According to him, most northern political gladiators, except one, had chosen to respect the rotational arrangement in the interest of peace and stability.

He also warned that the ADC should not blame the ruling APC or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if Nigerians reject the party over what he described as “an unforced error” in violating the zoning principle.

“This is bearing in mind that their 2023 breach of the same principle significantly contributed to the Peoples Democratic Party’s irretrievable and deep internal divisions till date,” he said.

Okechukwu further stated that history would judge political leaders not by “the intensity of their rhetoric and rationalisation,” but by their commitment to fairness, equity, and national balance.

“The rotational zoning glue has contributed to national unity, institutional stability and democratic consolidation,” he added.