The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has stated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was among political leaders who backed the adoption of rotational presidency in Nigeria following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Akume made the disclosure on Tuesday during a World Press Conference in Abuja held as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 27th Democracy Day anniversary.
According to him, the controversial annulment of the election won by the late MKO Abiola forced political leaders to seek solutions that would preserve national unity and strengthen the country’s democratic system.
He recalled a meeting of leaders of the then Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna, led by the late Solomon Lar and Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, where the issue of power rotation was extensively debated.
“It was a difficult discussion before rotational presidency was eventually accepted. The June 12 annulment complicated the political atmosphere, and it was agreed that power should alternate between the North and the South. Atiku was one of the leaders present at that meeting and was part of that agreement,” Akume said.
The SGF explained that the decision was aimed at addressing the political tensions created by the annulment and ensuring inclusiveness in Nigeria’s governance structure.
His comments come amid renewed debates over power rotation ahead of the 2027 general election. Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, is expected to challenge President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking re-election.
Akume described the annulment of the June 12 election as one of the most painful moments in Nigeria’s democratic history.
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“Abiola won that election clearly. Nigerians freely made their choice, but the military government annulled it. It was a painful experience because the will of the people was ignored,” he said.
He stressed that one of the biggest lessons from the June 12 experience is that the voice of the people must remain supreme in a democracy.
“The voice of the people must always be respected. That is the essence of democracy. We prefer the ballot to bullets,” he stated.
Akume also expressed confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission, saying the country had learned from the mistakes of the past.
He noted that those currently managing the electoral process understand the consequences of the June 12 annulment and are committed to ensuring such an incident never happens again.
“Never again should an election freely won by a candidate be annulled. If you win, you win. If you lose, you prepare for another election,” he said.
The SGF further praised Nigeria’s democratic journey, noting that the country has enjoyed 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule.
According to him, democracy has guaranteed citizens freedoms that would be impossible under authoritarian systems, including freedom of expression and political participation.
“We have chosen democracy because it remains the best system of government. It gives people the freedom to express themselves, participate in politics and hold leaders accountable,” Akume added.
