Ayodele Fayose, the former Governor of Ekiti State, has made allegations concerning a meeting between Seyi Makinde, the Governor of Oyo State, and Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President, which reportedly took place in Minna, Niger State.
In a statement released on Wednesday, February 11, on his verified X account, Fayose shared insights under the title “Between Atiku and Makinde, Untold Story of What Happened in Minna.” He claimed that both the meeting’s venue and the chosen participants were deliberately selected to ensure what he termed “confidence and acceptability” among political figures.
Fayose indicated that the discussions primarily revolved around strategies for the forthcoming presidential election and issues surrounding the choice of a prospective running mate. He asserted that Atiku’s team has concerns that Peter Obi, who was the presidential candidate for the Labour Party in 2023, would not be willing to serve as a deputy or gain widespread acceptance in Northern Nigeria as a potential successor.
According to Fayose, Atiku is optimistic about securing the presidential nomination from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), suggesting that actions have been taken to prevent the party’s ticket from being divided based on region.
Fayose stated that Makinde has consented to join the ADC on the premise that he would be nominated as Atiku’s running mate.
He expressed: “Atiku is 70% certain he will get the ADC ticket, having ensured that the party’s presidential ticket will not be zoned. Makinde is willing to join ADC provided he will be awarded the Vice Presidential ticket as Atiku’s running mate. This arrangement is set to be discussed further with Atiku’s inner caucus for approval.”
Additionally, Fayose claimed that Makinde reassured Atiku of his capability to garner support within the party, especially during the primaries, as he promised to secure delegates from the South-West and also leverage familial connections in Rivers State to gain support from the South-South region.
Fayose argued that Makinde’s participation would offer the ADC a strategic edge by dividing the vote in the South-West during the general elections. He further mentioned that plans for a follow-up meeting among the involved parties are set to take place in Dubai within the next two weeks.
As of this report, there has been no public comment from either Makinde or Atiku regarding Fayose's claims.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!