Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, held separate closed-door meetings with ex-military president, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd.), at his residence in Minna, Niger State, on Tuesday.

Abubakar arrived at Babangida’s residence shortly after 1 p.m., with Makinde joining later at about 2:10 p.m. While the exact agenda of their discussions with the elder statesman was not fully disclosed, Atiku spoke extensively with journalists after his nearly two-hour meeting.

During his interaction with the press, the former Vice President launched a strong critique against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as “a party of forgers and riggers” that undermines Nigeria's democratic processes.

He insisted that forgery, including that of certificates and age limits, is the hallmark of the APC. Atiku linked this characterization to the tax reforms recently proposed and gazetted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, stating that Nigerians should not be surprised by the actions of such a party.

Atiku also expressed his profound disappointment with the outcome of the Senate’s emergency plenary on electoral reforms. He highlighted that the decision to implement a mixture of electronic and manual transmission of election results fell significantly below the expectations of Nigerians, who were anticipating real-time electronic transmission at all levels.

He warned that this hybrid approach would likely cause more confusion and chaos than a singular, fully electronic system. Consequently, Atiku urged political parties to unite and vigorously pursue credible electoral reforms, emphasizing that they should not allow the issue to rest where the current administration intends.

Addressing questions about his potential candidacy in the 2027 presidential election, Atiku clarified that the issue is not currently under consideration. He stated that his primary focus is on his membership with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and ensuring the party’s structures are firmly rooted from the ward, local, state, up to the national levels.

He reiterated the ADC's commitment to continuous mobilization and registration of members nationwide. Furthermore, Atiku noted that the ADC does not operate zoning in its constitution, a practice he identified as formally entrenched only in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was accompanied on his visit by several ADC leaders and stakeholders, including former Osun Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and former Senator Ben Obi.

Governor Seyi Makinde, who remained in the inner chambers after Abubakar's departure, also held a separate closed-door meeting with Babangida but declined to speak with journalists afterward.