Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule has debunked news report claiming he had a meeting with the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar in Mecca, Saudi Arabia during his lesser Haji.
Debunking that he pledged financial support to Atiku to defeat President BolaTinubu in the 2027 presidential election, Governor Sule, described the publication as false, fabricated and mischievous, urging the public to disregard such publication.
Speaking in a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, Sule said there was no time he had a meeting or dinner with Atiku during the Lesser Hajj.
He reminded that just two days ago, Governor Sule stood before APC leaders from the North Central zonal during the party’s congress and reiterated his unalloyed support to President Tinubu’s reelection bid by seconding a motion adopting him as the sole presidential candidate of the zone in the 2027 general election.
The statement therefore, said for anyone to, publish a story portraying Sule as working secretly to undermine the same president he publicly supports was the height of junk Journalism.
The statement added that the governor has consistently used any available platform to extole the leadership qualities of president Tinubu and affirm his unshakable support to the president’s administration and his reelection bid, pointing out that the publication was done to smear the good relationship enjoyed between governor Sule and president Tinubu.
Urging the Peoples Gazzate to retract the publication which was based on anonymous sources without verifying from the people mentioned, stressing the the act was the height of junk Journalism, and calculated political sabotage.
The statement read is part “The attention of the Nasarawa State Government has been drawn to a report published Friday, March 27th, 2026 by the Peoples Gazette, claiming that Governor Abdullahi A. Sule secretly met with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, during the lesser Hajj, and pledged financial support to help defeat His Excellency, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, GCFR, in the 2027 presidential election.
“We wish to state, without any equivocation whatsoever, that this story is a complete fabrication. It is false in its entirety. It did not happen and indeed will not happen.
“Governor Abdullahi A. Sule did travel to Saudi Arabia to perform the lesser Hajj, an act of personal religious devotion that no one should find surprising for a Muslim of his standing.
However, at no point during his stay in Saudi Arabia did Governor Sule meet with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or anyone close to him.
“The Governor was not even aware that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was in Saudi Arabia. There was no meeting. There was no two-hour dinner at the Conrad Jabal Omar Hotel or anywhere else.
There was no pledge of financial support. There was no agreement of any kind. The allegations are false, fiction dressed as journalism.
This is Yellow Journalism perhaps orchestrated because Governor Sule has accepted the calls to contest for senate seat.
“It is very telling that when the Peoples Gazette contacted Atiku Abubakar’s own spokesman, Paul Ibe, for confirmation of this explosive claim, Mr. Ibe was unable to confirm that any such meeting took place.
His exact words, as reported by the Gazette itself, were: “I am not aware of a meeting of that nature.” This is a man who has always reported meetings of the former VP
“We are also compelled to point out the timing and obvious intent of this publication. Just two days ago, Governor Abdullahi Sule stood firmly with his party and his President when he seconded the motion moved by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF for the North Central zone of the APC to adopt President Bola Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
“This is a matter of public record. It was witnessed by leaders of the party from across the region. Governor Sule has consistently and publicly used every available platform to extol the leadership qualities of President Tinubu and to affirm his unshakeable support for the president’s administration and his re-election bid. Governor Sule is not a coward. He doesn’t say one thing in the open and another in secret.
“Therefore for anyone, to publish a story portraying Governor Sule as a man secretly working to undermine the same President he so publicly supports is the height of junk journalism. It is a calculated act of political sabotage.
Continuing, the statement said” If indeed Governor Sule were to meet with Atiku Abubakar he would be telling him to join in supporting President Tinubu in executing the Renewed Hope Agenda and not otherwise.
“We have no doubt about the forces behind this story. As the 2027 elections draws closer, certain desperate and faceless political actors have made it their mission to damage the strong and cordial relationship that exists between President Tinubu and Governor Sule and indeed other governors. That evil plan will fail because all the APC governors are 100% behind Mr President and no amount of primitive journalism sponsored by uncouth politicians can change that.
“These individuals understand that as long as that relationship remains solid, their own political ambitions in Nasarawa State stand no chance.
“Hence, their only weapon is mischief. Their only strategy is to whisper poison into the ears of the Presidency in the hope of currying sympathy and political favour ahead of 2027.
‘They will fail. The relationship between President Tinubu and the Governors is not built on rumour or sentiment. It is built on a shared commitment to the progress of Nigeria and on a consistent record of loyalty and support that no fabricated story can undo.
“We urge the public, particularly the good people of Nasarawa State, to disregard this report in its entirety.
“We equally urge the Peoples Gazette to realize that it has been used and so publish a retraction and offer apology without delay.
“Journalism carries a huge responsibility. Publishing an “exclusive” story of this magnitude based entirely on anonymous sources, without a single named witness or evidence; without confirmation from either of the two principal actors involved, and in the face of a direct denial from the spokespersons of the two individuals, falls far below any acceptable standard of the noble journalism.
“Governor Sule remains committed to the APC, committed to President Tinubu and the people of Nasarawa State. No amount of political mischief will change that” the statement added.
