Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has said former vice-president Atiku Abubakar was among the political leaders who endorsed the principle of rotational presidency in the aftermath of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, a decision he said was aimed at preserving national unity and strengthening Nigeria’s fledgling democracy.
Speaking at a world press conference in Abuja on Tuesday as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 27th Democracy Day anniversary, Akume said the political crisis triggered by the cancellation of the election won by the late MKO Abiola forced political leaders to make difficult compromises in the national interest.
According to a statement issued by his media aide, Yomi Odunuga, Akume recalled a meeting of leaders of the then-emerging Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna, convened by the late Solomon Lar and Adamu Ciroma, where the question of power rotation dominated discussions.
“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,” Akume said. “The June 12 annulment had complicated the whole thing. It was finally agreed that we would alternate between the north and the south. Atiku was one of the leaders at that meeting. He was part of that agreement.”
Akume said the arrangement was conceived as a political remedy to the divisions created by the annulled election, helping to promote inclusion and national cohesion in a deeply diverse country.
His intervention comes as political tensions build ahead of the 2027 general election. Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, is expected to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is seeking a second term in office. Critics within the ruling establishment have repeatedly questioned Atiku’s continued presidential ambitions, arguing that political convention favours retaining power in the south after the eight-year presidency of the late Muhammadu Buhari.
Reflecting on the legacy of June 12, Akume described the annulment as one of the darkest moments in Nigeria’s democratic history.
“Abiola won that election round and square. The people spoke freely and made their choice. The annulment was deeply painful,” he said.
He argued that the central lesson of the June 12 experience was the supremacy of the electorate’s will. “The voice of the people must always remain sacrosanct. That is the essence of democracy. We prefer the ballot to bullets,” he said.
Akume also expressed confidence in Nigeria’s electoral institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission, insisting that the country had learned from the mistakes of 1993 and would not permit a repeat of such an episode.
“If an election is conducted fairly and someone wins, then that result should stand,” he said. “Those managing INEC today were adults when the annulment happened. They understand its consequences and are determined that it never happens again.”
Praising electoral officials as “men and women of honour and integrity”, Akume urged politicians to accept electoral outcomes and prepare for future contests rather than undermine democratic institutions.
Drawing a comparison with the United States, he pointed to the political comeback of Donald Trump after his defeat by Joe Biden, saying democratic systems thrive when political actors respect the rules of competition.
The SGF said Nigeria’s 27 consecutive years of civilian rule demonstrated a growing commitment to democratic governance, the rule of law and civil liberties. He cited freedom of expression as one of democracy’s most significant gains, arguing that citizens are now able to criticise those in power without fear of state repression.
“We have chosen democracy,” he said. “For 27 uninterrupted years, we have enjoyed the freedoms that come with it. There is no system more beautiful than democracy.”
He called on political leaders and citizens alike to deepen the country’s democratic culture by respecting electoral outcomes, safeguarding free expression and upholding peaceful political participation.
