Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied claims that he engaged in any negotiation with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde over a Vice-Presidential ticket.
The allegations came from former Ekiti State Governor Fayose, who claimed Makinde was plotting to be Atiku’s running mate under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Fayose was commenting on a meeting held on Tuesday in Niger State between Atiku, Makinde, and former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida.
According to Fayose, Makinde had promised to split President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Southwest votes and deliver Rivers State votes for Atiku. He also claimed Makinde offered ₦10 billion to the opposition party, with more to be released when the campaign began.
However, Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, dismissed these allegations as a “shameless concoction,” a distortion, and cheap propaganda.
Atiku clarified that he never participated in any supposed horse-trading, negotiations over a Vice-Presidential ticket, or discussions involving ₦10 billion contributions.
He emphasized that he does not engage in politics through secrecy, bribery, or transactional desperation, contrary to the portrayal in Fayose’s statements, and urged the public to disregard the report.
The statement read in part:
“Our attention has been drawn to a reckless and malicious fabrication titled ‘Between Atiku and Makinde, Untold Story of What Happened in Minna Yesterday,’ attributed to Peter Ayodele Fayose.
Let it be clear: the publication is a shameless concoction, a tissue of lies from a serial purveyor of political gossip whose relevance survives only on controversy and distortion.
At no time did former Vice President Atiku Abubakar engage in the alleged horse-trading. There were no negotiations over Vice-Presidential tickets, no discussions about ₦10 billion contributions, no zoning manipulations, and no delegate-delivery guarantees. The so-called ‘Dubai meeting’ is entirely fabricated.
The attempt to drag other political actors into this story does not make it credible; it only exposes the desperation behind it. His Excellency’s political engagements are broad-based, principled, and national in scope—not the narrow, transactional theatrics portrayed.
This story is insider fiction created to mislead, distract, and provoke. Atiku Abubakar does not transact politics in secrecy, bribery, or transactional desperation. He remains committed to principled engagement and national service. We urge the public to treat the publication with the contempt it deserves.”
