Atiku Fires Back At Oba Of Lagos: Aso Rock Is Not Your Palace

Atiku Abubakar has responded to the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, after the traditional ruler declared there would be no vacancy in Aso Rock for the next five years, backing President Bola Tinubu's second-term bid during a courtesy visit by the APC campaign council led by Abdulaziz Yari.

Atiku did not hold back. In a post shared by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, he stated: "Kabiyesi, with due respect, Aso Rock is not an extension of your palace, and Nigeria's presidency is not a royal stool for you to allocate. There will be a vacancy in 2027 because the Constitution says so." He went further, saying: "The people, and not kings, courtiers or APC campaign councils, will decide that through the ballot."

The line that will sting the most is where he reminded the palace that while it may be insulated from today's hunger, insecurity and crushing cost of living, millions of Nigerians are counting every painful day until 2027. He ended with "Kabiyesi, democracy is not coronation." Is Atiku right that no king can decide Nigeria's president for 200 million people, or is this just another politician playing to the gallery?