The Nasarawa State Government has denied accusations that, during the lesser Hajj, Governor Abdullahi Sule met in private with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
Additionally, the administration denied allegations that the governor promised financial assistance to fund campaigns to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the general elections of 2027.
Ibrahim Addra, the governor, received a statement from the Chief Press Secretary characterizing the news as wholly untrue.
He described it as “a complete fabrication, false in its entirety, and did not happen.”
He emphasized that throughout the religious exercise, neither Atiku nor any of his associates had a meeting with Governor Sule.
The statement also mentioned the governor’s repeated use of public forums to praise President Tinubu’s leadership and reiterate his support for the government.
There had been no departure from Sule’s established political affiliation, it continued.
The Nasarawa State Government accused anonymous political actors of trying to sabotage the governor-president relationship.
Nonetheless, it stated that it was confident that such attempts would fail.
The statement also included a response from Paul Ibe, Atiku’s spokesperson, who allegedly claimed not to be aware of any such meeting.
The state administration reaffirmed its stance, stating that governors chosen on the All Progressives Congress platform continue to stand together in favor of President Tinubu.
In advance of the 2027 elections, it further stated that their devotion and loyalty will not be weakened by any amount of false reporting.
The explanation reportedly follows information that surfaced on a purported encounter between Atiku and the governor of Nasarawa State in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the recent smaller hajj (Umrah).
The meeting allegedly happened on March 11, 2026, at the Conrad Jabal Omar Hotel in Mecca at an iftar supper during the holy month of Ramadan, according to a report published in Peoples Gazette.
According to the report’s sources, the discussion covered political trends leading up to the 2027 presidential election and lasted almost two hours.
According to the report, the conference focused on potential political cooperation to remove President Bola Tinubu from office in the 2027 election.
Atiku, who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2025, is reportedly thinking about running for president again.
According to sources cited in the report, Governor Sule promised to assist Atiku in gaining votes in Nasarawa State and endorsed his ambition.
