Atiku, Makinde holds closed door meeting with IBB in Minna

By YM Bina

The gormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde has held a closed door meeting with former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida at his Uphill Residence in Minna, Niger state capital.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Atiku said that he was in the state to strengthen the state structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state stating that the visit is not about him contesting in the 2027 presidential election but about Nigerian’s who wanted electronic transmission of election results.

Atiku said that electronic transmission of election results will cause less confusion and chaos stressing that the electronic transmission of results is the preference of Nigerians, adding that the controversial Electoral Act amendment is mixed up to cause confusion and chaos

He called on all opposition political parties to come together and reject the decision of the Senate to opt for only manual uploading of election results, “we need all opposition political parties to pursue this issue. We should not allow it to rest the way they wanted it to rest today at the Senate.”

According to him, “I am a member of ADC and we are busy trying to ensure that our structures are firmly rooted from the ward to the local to the state up to the national level. We are busy mobilizing people and registering people at the same time.

Although, Atiku Abubakar did not explained his mission in Minna to see the former military president General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, noted that this is not his first time to visit the elder statesman. Described APC as party of forgers and riggers.

He added, “This is below the expectations of Nigerians. During the last elections, Nigerians were expecting real time electronic transmission of election results at various levels of the election but what we got is a mixture of electronic and manual uploading which caused more confusion and chaos. It will be best if we have a single tier electrical transmission which is real time electronic transmission which is the preference of all Nigerians.”

He called on all opposition political parties to come together and reject the decision of the Senate to opt for only manual uploading of election results, “we need all opposition political parties to pursue this issue. We should not allow it to rest the way they wanted it to rest today at the Senate.”

On his part, Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde did not speak to journalists, he did not come out from the inner chamber of IBB’s house after Atiku left and all journalists were told that he said he is on a private visit and is not going to speak to anybody. Journalists were then asked to leave the premises but several waited outside to know the time he will leave.

Atiku arrived in Minna at about 1.30 pm and moved straight from the Minna Airport to Babangida’s house while the Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde at about 2.10 pm after about 30 minutes after Atiku left.

Atiku who was a companied by the African Democratic Congress ADC Governorship aspirant for Rivers State, former House of Representative deputy leader Baba Shehu Agaie, former governor of Osun State Olagunsoye Onyilola, Senator Ben Obi, Senator Ozemieno from Edo State, State ADC chairman Musa Hassan among others.