FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar, accompanied by former Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke and former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, are currently in a closed-door meeting with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo at his hilltop residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
While the specifics of their discussion remain unknown as of press time, the timing has sparked speculation within political circles, with many suggesting that the meeting could be part of strategic efforts by opposition figures to consolidate forces and dislodge the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government in 2027 presidential election.
Abubakar, who served with Obasanjo between May 1999 and May 2007 has had a frosty relationship with his principal. The hostility climaxed in his opposition to alleged Obasanjo’s third-term bid.
The ICIR reports that Abubakar has been a central figure in Nigerian politics, particularly in his quest to occupy the nation’s highest office.
His political journey spans decades, beginning in 1993 when he contested in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) primaries but lost to the late Moshood Abiola.
Abubakar later became Nigeria’s Vice President from 1999 to 2007 under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration.
Since then, he has pursued the presidency in multiple elections, including running as a candidate for the Action Congress (AC) in 2007 and returning to the PDP to vie for the office in 2011, 2019, and most recently, in 2023, where he lost to Tinubu.
He had joined the All Progressives Congress in 2014 ahead of the 2015 presidential election to contest the presidential primaries but lost to Muhammadu Buhari.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M