by James Sambo

President Goodluck Jonathan is believed to have held a clandestine meeting with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Yola, Adamawa State, on Monday night.

The President reportedly paid a surprise visit to Atiku’s private residence, alongside some of his security personnel and aides.

According to a report by Punch newspapers, Jonathan arrived the home of the former presidential aspirant, a few minutes to midnight when he had already headed to bed.

Even Atiku’s security team were said to have been taken unawares by the long convoy of vehicles from the presidential fleet that suddenly appeared by midnight.

The report further stated that a member of Atiku’s team, who was present at the meeting, revealed that after the exchange of greetings, the pair went behind closed dorrs for a private conversation.

He said: “The Turakin Adamawa was surprised by the visit largely due to the fact that, one, he was not expecting it.”

“Two, long before Vice President Atiku left the PDP finally, the President had asked for audience with him in his Asokoro residence, in Abuja, prompting him to cancel all engagements only for the President to stand him up without even the courtesy of an explanation or an apology.”

“This time around, the President chose to make it a surprise visit. Well, from what transpired it is glaring that Atiku is not buying any of Jonathan’s explanations or proposals.”

Whether as a ripple effect of the visit or otherwise, the political machinery of Atiku Abubakar under the umbrella body, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku (AAA) and People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) in six states in the south-west Nigeria has declared their support for President Goodluck Jonathan in the forthcoming presidential election.

The leader of the group, Bode Ajewole, made the announcement on Tuesday, March 17, at a media briefing in Akure, Ondo State.

Ajewola said their support was based on the readiness of President Jonathan to implement the recommendations of the 2014 national conference, as being demanded by the south-west region.

Supporters of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the AAA/PDM collectives, in the six states in south-west Nigeria – Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo were present at the media briefing to declare support for President Jonathan’s re-election.