Atiku Leads el-Rufai, Tambuwal, Suswam, Others On Visit To Buhari

As political consultations and permutations gain momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Friday, 11th April 2025, led some prominent Northern politicians on a visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari in his private residence Kaduna.

Coming barely one week after the Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) undertook a similar trip, the Atiku-led visit is said to be part of this year’s post Sallah celebrations.

According to the former Vice President, their visit comes at this time owing to demands of being the Wazirin Adamawa which made it impossible for him to pay visits during the Sallah celebrations as he had to be in Adamawa, holding forth for the Lamido Fombina (Adamawa) HRH Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, at some of the activities during the Sallah period.

Sharing a post on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections described the engagement as an enjoyable one, even as he appreciated Buhari’s characteristic sense of humour.

He wrote; “As the Waziri of Adamawa, I remained in Adamawa for the Sallah festivities and stood in for the Lamido Fombina at several engagements.

“Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of Nigeria from 2015 to 2023. It was a wonderful time with him—he had me in stitches with his signature humour.”

Though photos and videos of the visit have circulated elaborately online, the former Vice President was mute on the purpose or outcome of the closed-door meeting.

However, despite the visit generating speculations in some quarters given the names of political heavyweight in the delegation, there is no official statement yet on the likely discussions held between former President Buhari and the Atiku-led team.

But a statement by Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to the former Vice President explained that Atiku was privileged to lead the delegation comprising former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, former Governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and former Governor of Adamawa State, Senator Bindow Jibrilla, among  others on a post-Sallah visit to former President Buhari at his residence in Kaduna, Kaduna State.

Others on the delegation were former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswan, former Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, Senator Idris Umar, Hon Mohammed Kumalia, Capt. Yahaya Abubakar, Alhaji Musa Halilu (Dujima Adamawa) and Alhaji Salisu Makarfi.

The delegation later joined former President Buhari at the Friday Juma’ah prayer in Kaduna.