Our visit to Buhari is for Sallah and not coalition – Atiku clarifies

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has dismissed speculations that his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari was connected to ongoing coalition talks among opposition parties. 

Atiku, who led a delegation of prominent political figures to Buhari’s residence in Kaduna on Friday, April 11, clarified that the visit was purely for Sallah celebrations and bore no political agenda.

The visit came just days after governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Senator Hope Uzodimma, similarly visited Buhari during the Eid festivities. Atiku addressed the speculation via his official X handle, stating, “As the Waziri Adamawa, I was obligated to be in Adamawa during the Sallah celebrations. I held forth for the Lamido Fombina (Adamawa) in some of the activities of the Sallah celebrations. Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2015–2023. It was a wonderful time with him. As usual, he cracked me up (to the extent that my ribs were hurting) with his peculiar humour.”

The delegation accompanying Atiku included former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufa’i; former Governor of Sokoto State and serving Senator, Aminu Tambuwal; former Governor of Imo State, Achike Udenwa; former Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam; former Adamawa State Governor, Jubirila Bindow; and former Minister of Communications, Isa Pantami.

While El-Rufa’i is currently affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Atiku and the majority of the delegation remain members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). All four; El-Rufa’i, Atiku, Tambuwal, and Pantami also participated in the Friday Jummat prayers in Kaduna.

Speaking to journalists after the visit, Atiku reiterated that the occasion was solely a courtesy and festive call to the former president. “We came here on a courtesy and Sallah greetings visit to President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

When questioned about a potential opposition coalition, Atiku confirmed that discussions among political parties were indeed underway but emphasized that they were unrelated to this visit. “There is a plan for the major political parties to come together and form a strong opposition, but it is not part of this visit,” he clarified.

The visit has generated significant interest among Nigerians, sparking a wave of commentary on social media about its political implications. Atiku’s statement seeks to quell these speculations and reinforce the visit’s ceremonial and non-political nature.