ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Tuesday held separate closed-door meetings with former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd.), at his residence in Minna, Niger State.
Details of the discussions were not made public.
Speaking with journalists after his meeting, Atiku dismissed suggestions that the visit was linked to the 2027 presidential race, insisting his focus remains on electoral reforms and party consolidation.
“At this point, this is not about me contesting elections. It is about Nigerians who want electronic transmission of election results,” he said.
The former vice president explained that his visit to Niger State was also part of efforts to strengthen the structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at the grassroots level.
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According to him, Nigerians have clearly expressed preference for real-time electronic transmission of election results, warning that combining electronic and manual processes could trigger confusion and disputes.
“The preference of Nigerians is clear. They want real-time electronic transmission of results. What we have now is a mixture of electronic and manual uploading, which only causes confusion and chaos,” Atiku stated.
He criticised the recent amendment to the Electoral Act, arguing that introducing manual elements into the transmission process undermines transparency.
Atiku also urged opposition political parties to unite against what he described as a flawed legislative direction by the Senate.
“We need all opposition political parties to pursue this issue. We should not allow it to rest the way they want it to rest at the Senate,” he said.
He disclosed that the ADC is intensifying mobilisation efforts nationwide, focusing on strengthening structures from the ward to the national level.
“I am a member of the ADC, and we are working to ensure our structures are firmly rooted from the ward level to local government, state, and national levels. We are mobilising and registering members across the country,” he added.
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While Atiku acknowledged that his meeting with Babangida was not his first, he declined to provide further details about their discussions.
Governor Makinde, on his part, did not address journalists. He reportedly remained inside the residence after Atiku departed, with aides describing his visit as private.
Security personnel later asked reporters to vacate the premises, though some stayed nearby awaiting the governor’s departure.
Atiku arrived in Minna around 1:30 p.m. and proceeded directly from the airport to Babangida’s hilltop residence. Makinde arrived roughly 30 minutes after Atiku had left.
The former vice president was accompanied by several ADC figures, including Rivers State governorship aspirant Baba Agaie, former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Senator Ben Obi, Senator Ozemina, Niger State ADC Chairman Musa Hassan, and other party stakeholders.