Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso met in Abuja on Saturday amid speculation that they are discussing a possible merger of their political parties.
TrackNews Media reports that the two politicians were seen smiling and chatting during the Nikkah ceremony of Musa Jamilu Jibrin, the son of Alhaji Jamilu Jibrin Lamido (Chokalin Adamawa) and Halima Abande Lawan at the Annur Mosque.
Atiku shared this development on his social media, saying, “This morning, I attended the Nikkah ceremony of Musa Jamilu Jibrin, the son of Alhaji Jamilu Jibrin Lamido (Chokalin Adamawa) and Halima Abande Lawan at the Annur Mosque, Abuja. I wish the couple a blissful and blessed marriage.”
The meeting between Atiku and Kwankwaso comes amid reports that they have been holding talks about a possible merger of their parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Both parties were defeated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 general election.
A merger, as rumored, aims to create a strong opposition party capable of challenging the APC in future elections.
The two politicians have a long history of political rivalry. Atiku was the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2019, while Kwankwaso was the NNPP’s presidential candidate in 2023.
