Atiku's Absence at Coalition Talks Not a Boycott, Aide Says

Phrank Shaibu, the media aide to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated that Atiku's absence from the coalition talks for a single candidate against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) should not be interpreted as a boycott. The talks took place on a Monday in Abuja, convened by the G-100 political pressure group at the Yar’Adua Centre, involving representatives from six opposition parties, including the ADC, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and others.

Shaibu emphasized that Atiku remains committed to the summit's objectives, advocating for a united opposition to address issues like hardship and insecurity under the Tinubu administration. A source indicated that both Atiku and Peter Obi were monitoring the discussions and would assess the G-100's framework before taking a position.

The source also noted the challenges of negotiating a single candidate after parties had already selected their presidential candidates.