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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed allegations by former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose over an alleged political deal involving Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, describing the claims as “desperate” and “baseless.”
The rebuttal followed reports of a closed-door meeting between Atiku and Makinde at the Minna residence of former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida, which triggered speculation of a possible 2027 political arrangement.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Fayose alleged that Makinde had offered to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as Atiku’s running mate in 2027, pledging ₦10bn to support the party and promising to deliver delegates to secure Atiku’s presidential ticket. Fayose further claimed that another meeting had been scheduled in Dubai to finalise the deal.
Reacting on Thursday through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku categorically denied all aspects of the allegation, insisting that no discussions were held on vice-presidential tickets, funding, zoning, or delegate mobilisation.
The statement described Fayose’s claims as a “malicious fabrication” and urged the public to disregard what it termed “insider fiction” aimed at provoking controversy and manufacturing relevance.
“At no time did former Vice President Atiku Abubakar engage in the imaginary horse-trading described in that publication,” the statement read, adding that Atiku’s political engagements remain “principled, broad-based and national in scope.”
However, Fayose fired back later on Thursday via his X account, warning that he would reveal further details of the Minna meeting if Atiku failed to publicly disown the statement within 48 hours. He claimed the meeting involved sensitive discussions, including comments allegedly made about the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The controversy also sparked a war of words between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State.
The Oyo APC accused Makinde of entering into a “political contract” with Atiku that could expose the state’s finances ahead of the 2027 elections, alleging plans to use state resources to fund a presidential ambition.
In response, the Oyo PDP dismissed the claims as reckless propaganda, insisting that Governor Makinde remains focused on governance, transparency, and service delivery. The party accused the APC of peddling misinformation to distract from economic hardship under the current federal administration.
The PDP maintained that Oyo State’s resources are being managed responsibly and warned that no amount of political speculation would derail the government’s development agenda.
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Oyetoke Adedayo Ebenezer
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