Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently visited former President Goodluck Jonathan at his residence in Abuja, with new details clarifying that the meeting was non-political.
Atiku had shared photos of the encounter on his social media platforms, describing it as “a pleasure catching up with former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday evening, following his recent return from Guinea-Bissau.” The visit initially sparked speculation in political circles due to the high profiles of both leaders.
However, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, told Daily Trust that the purpose of the visit was purely personal. He explained that Atiku wanted to check on Jonathan following the tense situation the former president experienced in Guinea-Bissau during the country’s recent election.
“The former Vice President visited former President Jonathan because of what happened while he was in Guinea-Bissau. Since then, they had not met, and he felt it was necessary to check up on him. There is nothing political about the meeting,” Ibe said.
Jonathan’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, also stated that he was not privy to the discussion between the two leaders.
Jonathan had been among a group of African leaders trapped in Guinea-Bissau on November 26 following a coup during the country’s presidential election. He was part of a joint mission by the African Union, ECOWAS, and the West African Elders Forum deployed to monitor the election.
The clarification confirms that the meeting was a personal gesture of concern rather than a political engagement, easing speculation about potential political maneuvers.