Atiku backed rotational presidency after June 12 annulment — Akume

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, has revealed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was among the political leaders who supported 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 the SGF, the decision to alternate presidential power between the North and South emerged after extensive consultations among leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the aftermath of the annulled election won by the late Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

He recalled that PDP leaders met in Kaduna under the leadership of the late Solomon Lar and Adamu Ciroma to chart a path forward amid the political crisis triggered by the annulment.

“It was a tough argument before the issue of rotational presidency was agreed on. At the end, we had to concede. June 12 annulment had complicated the whole thing. It was finally agreed that we’ll be alternating between North and South,” Akume said.

“Atiku was one of the leaders at that meeting, which was convened by Chief Solomon Lar. He was part of that agreement.”

The SGF explained that the power-sharing arrangement was introduced to promote national unity, inclusiveness and political stability after the military government’s annulment of the June 12 election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest poll in Nigeria’s history.

Reflecting on the significance of June 12, Akume described the annulment as a painful setback to the democratic aspirations of Nigerians, noting that Abiola won the election convincingly.

“Abiola won that election round and square. The election was annulled by the military government. It was very painful because the people spoke and they spoke freely. They made their own choice,” he said.

Akume stressed that one of the enduring lessons from the June 12 experience is the supremacy of the people’s will in a democracy.

“The voice of the people must always be supreme. That’s the beauty of democracy. We prefer the ballot to bullets,” he stated.

The SGF also expressed confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission, saying the country has learnt from the events of 1993 and would not permit a repeat of such an annulment.

He urged political actors to respect electoral outcomes and democratic principles, noting that Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democratic rule reflect the country’s commitment to freedom, the rule of law and peaceful political participation.

Akume further described democracy as the best system of government, saying it guarantees freedom of expression and allows citizens to hold leaders accountable without fear of repression.