Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde on Tuesday met separately with former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.), at his Uphill Mansion in Minna, Niger State, in what political observers believe is part of early realignments ahead of the 2027 general election.
Atiku, who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), arrived at Babangida’s Minna residence earlier in the day alongside key members of his entourage, including Senator Ben Obi and Alhaji Kashim Imam.
Governor Makinde arrived more than an hour later and was ushered into the palatial residence for a private meeting with the former military leader.
Notably, Makinde did not step out with Atiku after the engagements, further fuelling speculation about the nature of the discussions.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of lingering political tensions between Atiku and Makinde, who were on opposing sides during the 2023 presidential election crisis within the PDP.
Makinde was a prominent member of the G5 governors — alongside Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) — who revolted against Atiku’s emergence as the PDP presidential candidate.
The group had insisted that the party’s national chairman from the North should step down in the interest of balance and equity.
Speaking with journalists after the Minna visit, Atiku launched a scathing attack on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a “party of forgers and riggers.”
“What do you expect? APC generally is a party of forgers and riggers.
“They have forged everything. They forge certificates, they forge age limits, they forge everything. So, that is the hallmark of APC.”
He also criticised the Senate’s amendment of the Electoral Act, arguing that Nigerians expected full real-time electronic transmission of election results at all levels, rather than what he described as a hybrid of electronic and manual processes.
According to him, the ADC does not operate a zoning arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
“The ADC does not have zoning in its constitution. The only party that has zoning in its constitution is the Peoples Democratic Party,” he stated.
He added that the party was currently mobilising new members nationwide.
Makinde, who later emerged from his meeting with Babangida, declined to comment on the political implications of his visit, describing it simply as private.
