Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday dismissed claims by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, over an alleged political deal involving Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as “desperate” and “baseless.”
Fayose, however, threatened to expose details of the Minna meeting with former Head of State, Gen Ibrahim Babangida.
The reaction followed reports of a closed-door meeting between Atiku and Makinde at Babangida’s Minna residence, which sparked speculation about a possible 2027 political arrangement.
Following the meeting, Fayose claimed in a Wednesday statement that Makinde had offered to join the African Democratic Congress as Atiku’s 2027 running mate, promising N10bn to help the party get started and to deliver delegates to secure Atiku’s ADC presidential ticket.
Fayose concluded that the duo had fixed another meeting for Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to conclude negotiations.
Atiku, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said he did not engage in any of the alleged horse-trading as alleged by Fayose.
He emphasised that no discussions took place regarding N10bn contributions or zoning arrangements.
“Our attention has been drawn to a reckless and malicious fabrication titled ‘Between Atiku and Makinde, Untold Story of What Happened in Minna Yesterday,’ attributed to one Peter Ayodele Fayose.
“Let it be stated clearly: the entire publication is a shameless concoction — a tissue of lies stitched together by a serial purveyor of political gossip whose relevance survives only on controversy, distortion, and cheap propaganda.
“At no time did former Vice President Atiku Abubakar engage in the imaginary horse-trading described in that laughable script.
“There were no negotiations over vice-presidential tickets. There were no discussions about N10bn contributions. There were no zoning manipulations. There were no delegate-delivery guarantees. And there is certainly no clandestine ‘Dubai meeting’ on any such agenda.”
The former vice president called on the public to dismiss the publication as completely unworthy of attention.
It continued, “The attempt to drag other political actors into this fabricated beer parlour tale does not elevate its credibility; it merely exposes the desperation behind it.
“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar’s political engagements are broad-based, principled, and national in scope — not the narrow, transactional theatrics invented in that publication.
“The story is not insider information. It is insider fiction — manufactured to mislead, distract, and provoke.
“It is unfortunate that certain individuals, long deprived of credibility and political gravitas, now attempt to manufacture relevance by inventing tales around serious national figures. Falsehood may trend for a moment, but it collapses under the weight of truth.
“Atiku Abubakar does not transact politics in secrecy, bribery, or transactional desperation as mischievously and irresponsibly portrayed.
“He remains focused on principled engagement and national redemption — not backroom theatrics designed by attention-seekers.”
Late on Thursday, in a reply to Atiku’s reaction on his X account, Fayose promised more details if the former vice president did not retract the statement.
He said, “I saw the response of one Paul Ibe, one of the media aides to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to my release on what transpired at his (Atiku’s) meeting in Minna, with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and I can’t but be amused.
“However, because of my respect for Atiku, I will want to assume that he did not authorise the press statement, and I expect that after seeing it, he will, within 48 hours, cause a rebuttal to be issued on it.
“Should Atiku not publicly disown the statement within the next 48 hours, I will have no option but to spill more beans (the facilitators and executioners) of the Minna meeting, particularly what was said about Wike) and by then, I will be doing so without any atom of respect for him. Till then, we keep our gunpowder dry.”
The development comes as the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State traded accusations on Thursday over Makinde’s alleged deal with Atiku.
While the Oyo APC alleged that the meeting formed part of a “political contract” that could expose the state’s finances ahead of the next general election, the PDP insisted there was no such deal.
The APC, in a statement released by its Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, in Ibadan, the state capital, alleged that a political contract between Makinde and Atiku would make the latter fleece the financial resources of the state in the buildup to the 2027 election cycle, saying the plans would be resisted at all costs.
The APC regretted that both Atiku and Makinde could allow selfishness and desperation to becloud the pricking of their individual conscience and dance on the grave of the PDP, which they literally strangulated to death in 2022 and 2023.
The statement said, “Atiku Abubakar, on his part, is desperate to be on the ballot again in 2027 to enable him set the record of a man who contested presidential elections for the highest record of time in the whole world and possibly keep himself busy at an advanced age.
“Besides, the former vice president has a penchant for making some southern governors sponsor his ill-conceived presidential ambition with their state funds, just like he did in 2023.
“Another reality is that Atiku has found a good ground to punish Makinde for his sins of 2019 and 2023, but unfortunately, the naivety in the Oyo governor would not allow him to read between the lines.
“The details of the betrayal game which Makinde played with his new godfather in the last two general elections are known to most pundits, and the fact that the victim (Atiku) would never let go is crystal clear.
“So, the latest political romance involving the duo would end up a disaster with Makinde being at the risk of being the worst loser or victim.”
The party said with the available records of billions of naira, which Makinde has taken from the treasury of the government and wasted on financing the hitherto comatose PDP, the Pacesetter State could not afford to open its vault to somebody like Atiku again.
“We say no to the payment of a N10bn down payment by Makinde to make him Atiku’s running mate on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, even as it is evident that he wants to remain in power after the expiration of his two-term tenure as a governor.
“He shall be vehemently resisted this time,” the APC publicity secretary insisted.
The state PDP Publicity Secretary, Michael Ogunsina, however, described the APC allegation as reckless and unfounded.
He explained that the PDP remained focused on governance and the continued development of its dear state.
Ogunsina said no amount of propaganda, panic, or politically motivated fiction could distract the party from delivering for the people.
“Oyo PDP strongly condemns the reckless and unfounded allegations by the state chapter of APC regarding a phantom plot to ‘hand over the state’s vault ahead of the 2027 elections’.
“It is hardly surprising that the Oyo APC continues to parade misinformation, especially when one of their loudest ‘information merchants’ is a former two-term Ekiti State governor who has reduced himself to a self-appointed political gossip distributor.
“When such a figure becomes the backbone of your intelligence gathering, confusion and cluelessness are inevitable.
“A party that relies on recycled bitterness and social media speculation as strategy cannot suddenly claim moral authority over the state’s finances.”
The party added, “Let it be stated clearly: Oyo is not anyone’s personal vault. Under Governor Makinde, the state’s resources are managed with transparency and accountability.
“Workers and pensioners are paid regularly, roads, schools, and health facilities are being upgraded across the state, including the recruitment of unemployed youths. These are tangible results that the people can see and verify.
“It is ironic that the same APC, under whose Federal Government Nigerians are battling crushing economic hardship, rising inflation and poverty, unstable electricity, and declining purchasing power, now pretends to be alarmed about Oyo’s finances.
“Charity, they say, begins at home. They should first fix the hardship their party has imposed on Nigerians before manufacturing imaginary scandals in Oyo.”
The party said it remained focused on governance and the continued development of the state, adding that no amount of propaganda, panic, or politically motivated fiction could distract it from delivering for the people.
“Oyo belongs to the people, not a rejected APC clinging to propaganda and recycled lies,” the PDP publicity secretary said.