Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has alleged that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde met with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Minna, Niger State, to discuss a possible vice-presidential slot on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.
In a statement shared on his verified X account titled “Between Atiku and Makinde, Untold Story of What Happened in Minna,” Fayose claimed Makinde traveled to Minna on Tuesday for the meeting, which was strategically held with carefully selected participants to ensure confidence and acceptability among key stakeholders.
Fayose alleged that the discussions centered on concerns over Atiku’s running mate ahead of the next presidential election. According to him, Atiku’s camp believes Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, would neither accept a deputy role nor be broadly acceptable in the North as a potential successor.
He further claimed that Atiku is confident of securing the ADC presidential ticket, noting arrangements to prevent the party’s ticket from being zoned. During the meeting, Fayose said, Makinde allegedly agreed in principle to join the ADC on the condition that he would be Atiku’s running mate.
The proposal, according to Fayose, is expected to be presented to Atiku’s inner caucus for further deliberation and possible approval.
Fayose also alleged that Makinde assured Atiku of his ability to mobilize political support for the ADC, particularly during the party’s primaries. He reportedly pledged to deliver delegates from the South-West and leverage family ties in Rivers State to gain backing from the South-South.
“Atiku is 70% certain of getting the ADC ticket, having ensured the non-zoning of the party’s presidential ticket. Makinde agreed to join ADC on the condition that he will be handed the party’s Vice Presidential ticket, as Atiku’s running mate,” Fayose said.
The former governor added that Makinde argued his participation could give the ADC a strategic edge by splitting votes in the South-West during the general election. A follow-up meeting between the two camps is reportedly scheduled in Dubai, UAE, within the next two weeks.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Makinde nor Atiku had responded to the allegations.
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