Atiku: ADC Elevated Personal Interest Above National Cohesion — Okechukwu

A former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu, has said that the emergence of former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) reflects the party’s elevation of personal interest above national cohesion.

He said the party’s decision amounted to a return to what he described as the old and divisive North-versus-South political arrangement.

Okechukwu, who spoke to journalists on Friday, said the development represented an “unforced error” by the ADC in disregarding the zoning convention, which he noted has largely underpinned national cohesion, patriotism, fairness, and a sense of belonging since the beginning of the Fourth Republic.

According to him, the decision runs contrary to the prevailing understanding among major political parties, including the APC, PDP, Labour Party (LP), and others, as well as a significant section of Nigerians who support rotational presidency in the national interest.

He said: “The ADC has once again raised serious concerns over the unforced error of elevating personal ambition above the zoning convention which, since the advent of the Fourth Republic, has largely guaranteed national cohesion, patriotism, fairness, and a sense of belonging among Nigerians.”

The APC chieftain also alleged that the development amounted to political opportunism, accusing the ADC of disregarding zoning at a time when many stakeholders still view it as a stabilising factor in national politics.

He further said the move signalled a return to divisive political dynamics that previously influenced major realignments in the country.

Okechukwu added that Nigeria’s unity remained non-negotiable, stressing that no individual ambition should override national cohesion, especially in a period of security and economic challenges.

He argued that most northern political actors, with few exceptions, were expected to wait until 2031 for another presidential turn under the existing rotational understanding.

He warned that the ADC should not blame the APC or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if Nigerians reject what he described as a breach of zoning consensus, noting that a similar situation contributed to internal divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Okechukwu maintained that history would ultimately judge political leaders not by rhetoric, but by their adherence to principles that promote unity, institutional stability, and democratic consolidation.