Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is holding a closed-door meeting with his rival, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, at his residence in Lagos.
Sources said the meeting is part of ongoing efforts to reconcile aggrieved members following the party’s presidential primary.
An interview with Hayatu-Deen is expected after the meeting.
The engagement comes days after the ADC presidential primary, in which Atiku emerged as the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 general election.
Hayatu-Deen had contested the primary alongside Atiku and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, but withdrew before the announcement of results, alleging widespread vote irregularities.
In a statement at the time, he expressed concern over reports of electoral malpractice across the country, saying he had personally observed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” he said.
Despite his withdrawal, the party proceeded to announce the results, declaring Atiku winner with 1,846,370 votes. Amaechi placed second with 504,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 177,120 votes.
Amaechi also rejected the outcome, describing the exercise as “concocted” and alleging widespread disenfranchisement during the primary.
Since securing the ticket, Atiku has embarked on reconciliation efforts aimed at uniting the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Before meeting Hayatu-Deen, he had held talks with Amaechi, where discussions centred on national challenges, including economic hardship and insecurity.
According to Atiku, the meeting with Amaechi involved frank discussions on “the troubling state of the nation, the growing economic pain, insecurity, and the urgent responsibility on patriotic Nigerians to continue engaging in the search for solutions that can rescue our country from drift and despair.”
Responding to concerns about the primary, ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, maintained that the exercise was free and fair, though he acknowledged there were shortcomings.
He said all aspirants were qualified to lead the party, but only one candidate could emerge as the presidential flag bearer.
Atiku and Amaechi joined the ADC in July 2025, alongside other opposition figures, as part of a broader political realignment aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
