Makinde: Fayose Issues 48-Hour Ultimatum to Atiku Over Statement

Ayodele Fayose, former Ekiti State Governor, has maintained that the recent meeting involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, and former Military President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) was politically motivated and centered on the 2027 election.

Fayose, in a statement on Thursday, said he was simply amused by the denial issued by Atiku’s media aide, Phrank Shaibu.

He also threatened that should Atiku fail to disown the statement by his media aide within forty-eight hours, he would reveal more details about the meeting which took place in Minna, Niger State, particularly, what was discussed about the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike.

In the words of Fayose, “I saw the response of one Paul Ibe, one of the Media Aides to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to my release on what transpired at his (Atiku) meeting in Minna, with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, and I can’t but be amused.

“However, because of my respect for Atiku, I will want to assume that he did not authorise the press statement and I will expect that after seeing it, he will within 48 hours, cause a rebuttal to be issued on it.

“Should Atiku not publicly disown the statement within the next 48 hours, I will have no option but to spill more beans (the facilitors and executioners) of the Minna meeting, particularly what was said about Wike) and by then, I will be doing so without any atom of respect for him.

“Till then, we keep our gunpowder dry.”

Fayose, while reacting to the meeting that took place between Atiku, Makinde and IBB, claimed that the duo met with Babangida to discuss how Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State would emerge as the running mate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

However, Atiku, in a statement, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described Fayose’s statement as a shameless concoction, a distortion, and cheap propaganda.

Atiku stated that at no time did he engage in the imaginary horse trading, negotiations over vice presidential tickets, or ₦10 billion contributions.

The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) maintained that he does not conduct politics in secrecy, bribery, or transactional desperation, as mischievously and irresponsibly portrayed, and urged the public to disregard the publication.