Atiku Lobbying Misplaced: Zoning Convention Remains Albatross – Okechukwu
Mr Osita Okechukwu, a Fellow of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC,) has expressed concern that the international lobbying strategy recently employed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, may not address the zoning convention which is the political albatross at home.
Okechukwu, who is the former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), said this on Monday in Enugu while responding to questions from journalists on the report that His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, had engaged a Washington-based lobbying firm – Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C. – to enhance his international profile.
He noted that while reputation management is a major tool in modern politics; however it cannot substitute for resolving the lingering issue of his blatant refusal to accept the zoning convention of rotation of president from north to south and vice versa.
“One holds His Excellency Atiku Abubakar in high regard, especially given his longstanding political associations with my elder brother, Honourable Dubem Onyia of blessed memory; however, it is pertinent to recognise that domestic political conventions like rotation of power cannot be effectively addressed through external image-building alone.
“For going by our local wisdom, it is illogical to go to Sokoto to look for what is in one’s Chokoto or Babaringa dress.
“Was it not because of Zoning Convention that he stormed out of PDP in 2014? Is it not because of Zoning Convention that no Southern presidential aspirant contested in PDP’s presidential primary in 2018, where Waziri Adamawa triumphed?
“Simply Zoning convention is in Atiku’s Babaringa, was his main albatross in 2023 presidential election, as it is today.” Okechukwu noted.
He submitted that it is important to once again remind Atiku’s handlers that majority of Nigerians since the advent of the 4th Republic in 1999 hold fast and resolved that for fairness, brotherhood, inclusion, unity and harmonious existence of our dear country that power should rotate from north to south and vice versa.
Okechukwu admonished that they should not gloss over the historical fact that without the zoning convention, which Northern political stalwarts like flamboyant Abubakar Rimi, Adamu Ciroma, Umaru Shinkafi, Dr Sola Saraki obeyed, Atiku could not had been Vice President in 1999.
“Ultimately, sustainable political acceptance is built on trust, inclusiveness, and respect for established conventions. These are the foundations upon which lasting leadership is achieved,” he said.
It is reported that the international lobbying strategy agreement is valued at $1.2 million, going by documents filed with the U.S. Department of Justice, signed on March 9 and 10, 2026, by the firm’s managing partner, Karl Von Batten, and Nigerian politician, Fabiyi Oladimeji, that represented Atiku.