By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Feelers emerged on Wednesday night on the possible reasons why the 2023 Presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, paid an unexpected visit to Minna, Niger state on Wednesday.
NIGERIAN NEWSLEADER Newspaper Correspondent exclusively gathered from a close source to the former Vice President that Atiku's visit to the Hilltop residences of the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida and that of the ex-Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar was to privately confer with the two leaders on the way forward after the last week's contentious presidential poll in which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the poll.
Although the purpose of the visit was not made public by Atiku himself and neither did IBB or Abubakar, the source revealed that Wazirin Adamawa was also in Minna to greet General Babangida who just returned after a medical check-up abroad. Atiku was equally said to have come to confer with the Niger State chapter of the PDP on the way forward regarding the outcome of the first lap of the 2023 general elections.
However, during the visit which lasted for close to three hours, Atiku Abubakar, accompanied by Senator Ben Obi (who holds the Igbo title of Ojeluigbo), arrived Minna and was received by the former Governor of Niger state and leader of the party in the state, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.
Atiku who had led PDP members on a protest march to the INEC headquarters, Abuja and calling for the cancellation of the election, it was gathered, visited Minna for the on-the-spot assessment and to deliberate on some issues thrown-up by the election. He was there to equally assure party members and Nigerlites generally that there is better hope in PDP than in any other party.
The former Vice President Atiku who landed at the Minna Airport at about 2pm was escorted by former Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu to the hill top residence of the former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) where they held a closed door meeting.
Atiku who departed Minna at about 4pm also had another brief closed door meeting with members of the state executive and some elders of the PDP in the state where a number of issues, including the last election and the general wellbeing of the party were extensively deliberated upon.
Recall that the PDP in Niger state had rejected the results by refusing to sign the election results for the February 25, 2023 election as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Collation Officer for the state, Professor Clement Alawa, a Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics) at the University of Abuja.
The party agent, Alhaji Sani Legbo Kutigi, who made the party’s position known to journalists after the declaration by Professor Alawa at the INEC state secretariat, David Mark road, instead, staged a protest walk-out from the venue of the presidential result declaration. NNL.
