The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, 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 as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 27th Democracy Day anniversary. He said 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.

According to the SGF, PDP leaders convened in Kaduna under the leadership of the late Solomon Lar and Adamu Ciroma to deliberate on the political crisis triggered by the annulment and to chart a path forward for national unity.

Akume explained that discussions leading to the adoption of rotational presidency were intense, given the sensitivities surrounding the June 12 annulment and its implications for national cohesion.

“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,” he said.

The SGF noted that Atiku was among the prominent political figures present at the meeting and actively participated in the discussions that culminated in the agreement.

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

He explained that the power-sharing arrangement was designed to promote inclusiveness, national unity and political stability following the annulment of the election, which remains one of the most significant events in Nigeria’s democratic history.

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

“Abiola won that election roundly and squarely. 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 maintained that one of the enduring lessons of the June 12 experience is the supremacy of the people’s will in a democratic system.

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

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

He urged political actors to respect electoral outcomes and uphold democratic principles, emphasizing that Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democratic governance demonstrate the nation’s commitment to freedom, the rule of law and peaceful political participation.

According to Akume, democracy remains the most effective system of government because it guarantees freedom of expression and provides citizens with the opportunity to hold leaders accountable without fear of repression.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) will on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, formally inaugurate its National Campaign Council ahead of the forthcoming Ekiti State Governorship Election.

According to a statement issued by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the inauguration ceremony will take place at the Kashim Shettima Hall of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, beginning at 12 noon.

The National Campaign Council is chaired by the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, while the President of the Senate, Godswill Obot Akpabio, will serve as Co-Chairman. The Leader of the Senate, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has been appointed Secretary of the council.

The party said the council is made up of serving and former governors, principal officers of the National Assembly, and other prominent party leaders. Its primary responsibility is to coordinate and drive the APC’s campaign activities ahead of the Ekiti governorship poll.

To strengthen campaign planning and execution, the party has also constituted several subcommittees that will oversee critical aspects of the campaign. These include Election Planning and Management, Finance and Resource Mobilisation, Grassroots Engagement and Mobilisation, Logistics and Campaign Management, Protocol, Media and Publicity, Security, Women Mobilisation, Youth Mobilisation, and Secretariat Functions.

According to the APC, the inauguration marks a significant step in the party’s preparations for the election and is expected to kick-start intensive mobilisation efforts across Ekiti State.

The party expressed confidence that the campaign structure will enhance coordination among stakeholders and position the APC for a successful outing in the forthcoming governorship election.

The Ekiti governorship election is expected to attract keen political interest as parties intensify consultations, mobilisation, and campaign activities across the state in the months leading to the poll.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has announced the donation of vehicles to women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in five states currently governed by opposition parties.

The announcement was made on Tuesday during the inauguration of the Tinubu Torchbearers (TTB), a pro-President Bola Tinubu support group, held at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.

The beneficiaries of the gesture are APC women leaders in Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Osun, and Oyo states.

Speaking at the event, the First Lady said the vehicles would be delivered before the end of the week and clarified that the cars would belong to the recipients personally rather than the party.

According to her, the vehicles are intended to support the women in carrying out party activities and community service more effectively.

“To all our women leaders in states where we do not have APC governors but have committed party members, your vehicles will be ready before the end of the week,” she said.

She further instructed the beneficiaries to register the vehicles in their personal names, stressing that the cars were not party property.

Mrs. Tinubu also called on APC governors across the country to support women leaders in their respective states by providing vehicles and other resources that would enhance their effectiveness.

The First Lady emphasized that women’s empowerment remains a key aspect of the APC’s vision for inclusive governance. She noted that women play a crucial role in grassroots mobilization, political participation, and party development.

Highlighting the importance of valuing women in politics, she urged party leaders to provide greater support for female party members.

“We are not playing politics like before. We are politicians, and people should see the value in us,” she stated.

Oluremi Tinubu also praised the APC’s democratic culture, describing the party as an example of how politics can be conducted peacefully and without bitterness.

She pointed to the conduct of the party’s recent primary elections as evidence of its commitment to internal democracy and the peaceful resolution of disagreements.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the First Lady encouraged members of the Tinubu Torchbearers to actively promote the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and communicate government policies responsibly to Nigerians.

In her remarks, APC National Women Leader, Mary Alile-Idele, called on women across the country to intensify grassroots mobilization efforts in support of President Tinubu’s administration.

She disclosed that the Tinubu Torchbearers had established structures in all 774 local government areas nationwide to promote government programmes and encourage citizen participation.

Alile-Idele also commended the administration’s reform initiatives and the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, noting that the programmes have positively impacted women, youths, persons living with disabilities, and other vulnerable groups through various empowerment and social intervention schemes.

The inauguration of the Tinubu Torchbearers is seen as part of broader efforts by the APC to strengthen grassroots support and mobilize party members ahead of future political engagements.