FG says Atiku, others agreed to rotational presidency after June 12 crisis

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has stated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was among political leaders who supported the adoption of rotational presidency in Nigeria following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Akume made the clarification on Tuesday in Abuja during a World Press Conference marking Nigeria’s 27th Democracy Day anniversary.

He said the political aftermath of the June 12 annulment, which denied late MKO Abiola victory in what is widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election, forced political leaders to seek a consensus arrangement aimed at preserving national unity.

According to him, leaders of the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a crucial meeting in Kaduna under the leadership of the late Chief Solomon Lar and Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, where the issue of power rotation between North and South was discussed and eventually agreed upon.

“It was a tough argument before the issue of rotational presidency was agreed on. At the end, we had to concede. We must do this… It was finally agreed that we’ll be alternating between North and South,” Akume said.

He added that Atiku Abubakar was present at the meeting and was part of the agreement that shaped Nigeria’s zoning arrangement.

“Atiku was one of the leaders at that meeting… He was part of that agreement,” he stated.

Akume explained that the decision was taken in response to the political tension created by the annulment, with stakeholders seeking a formula that would promote fairness, inclusion and national cohesion.

Reflecting on June 12, the SGF described the annulment as a painful setback to Nigeria’s democratic evolution, stressing that Abiola clearly won the election.

“Abiola won that election round and square… It was very painful because the people spoke and they spoke freely,” he said.

He maintained that one of the key lessons from the June 12 crisis is the supremacy of the people’s will in any democratic system, insisting that electoral mandates must be respected.

Akume also expressed confidence in Nigeria’s electoral institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), noting that the country had learned from past mistakes and would not repeat them.

“If an election is conducted very fairly and one wins, no problem… Never again would such happen in this country,” he said.

He urged political actors to respect democratic processes and accept electoral outcomes, adding that Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted civilian rule reflects the country’s commitment to democracy.

“We prefer the ballot to bullets… there is no system that is as beautiful as democracy,” he added.

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