KEY POINTS

• Atiku led a delegation to Buhari’s residence for Sallah greetings.

• He clarified that the visit was not for coalition discussions.

• The visit sparked social media discussions about its implications.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar led a delegation of prominent politicians on a courtesy visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Kaduna on Friday.

Atiku clarified that the visit was primarily for Sallah celebrations and not for any discussions on the planned coalition of political parties aimed at forming a stronger opposition.

Delegation includes key politicians from Kaduna and Sokoto

The delegation included former governors of Kaduna and Sokoto states, Nasir El-Rufai and Aminu Tambuwal, among other notable politicians.

Atiku explained that he had been unable to visit during the Sallah celebrations due to his commitments in Adamawa State, where he stood in for the Lamido Fombina (Adamawa), HRH Dr. Muhammadu Musdafa, Punch reported.

Atiku addresses coalition talks during visit

Speaking with journalists, Atiku described the visit as a courtesy call to greet former President Buhari during the Sallah festivities.

“We came here on a courtesy and Sallah greetings visit to President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said. When asked about plans to form a major opposition party, Atiku acknowledged ongoing discussions but made it clear that this was not the purpose of the visit.

The former vice president had earlier taken to his verified social media handles to announce the visit, describing it as a “wonderful time” with former President Buhari.

He wrote, “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.”