In Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the media office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rejected claims that he is involved in secret political negotiations with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State in southwestern Nigeria ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Okay News reports that the allegation was made by Peter Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State in southwestern Nigeria, in a post shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
Fayose alleged that Makinde, who belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one of Nigeria’s major political parties, had agreed to leave the PDP for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a smaller opposition party, on the condition that he would emerge as Atiku’s vice-presidential running mate in 2027.
He also claimed that Makinde met with Atiku in Minna, the capital city of Niger State in north-central Nigeria, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Fayose described the meeting as carefully arranged and attended by selected individuals to ensure, in his words, “confidence and acceptability.”
However, Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, February 12, 2026, that the report was false. He described it as a “reckless and malicious fabrication” and a “shameless concoction.”
“At no time did former Vice President Atiku Abubakar engage in the imaginary horse-trading described in that laughable script,” Shaibu said.
Shaibu specifically dismissed claims of any discussions about a vice-presidential ticket, contributions of ₦10 billion in Nigeria’s naira currency (about $7.4 million), zoning arrangements, delegate guarantees, or any secret meeting in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.
“There were no negotiations over vice-presidential tickets. There were no discussions about ₦10 billion contributions. There were no zoning manipulations.
“There were no delegate-delivery guarantees. And there is certainly no clandestine ‘Dubai meeting’ on any such agenda,” Shaibu stated.
He accused Fayose of attempting to draw other political actors into what he described as a made-up narrative aimed at stirring controversy. Shaibu added that Atiku’s political engagements, when they occur, are “broad-based, principled, and national in scope,” rather than the kind of transactional dealings alleged.
Shaibu urged the public to disregard the claim, insisting the former vice president does not engage in secretive or transactional politics as described in the post.
