Shettima Meets Yahaya Bello, Badaru, Other Political Leaders at Presidential Villa

Vice-President Kashim Shettima on Monday held a closed-door meeting with former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, former Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru and other political figures at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The delegation, identified as leaders of the National Directorate of Arewa for Asiwaju Movement, arrived at the State House at about 4pm and proceeded to the Vice-President’s wing.

However, Shettima was attending a separate meeting at the President’s wing when the delegation arrived. The earlier meeting, which began around 2pm, was attended by the Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, and the Special Adviser to the President and Coordinator of the Presidential Livestock Reform, Prof. Attahiru Jega, among others.

Jega is a former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The purpose of the delegation’s visit was not immediately known, although sources indicated that it was a courtesy visit.

Other prominent officials and political figures at the Presidential Villa included former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, Director-General of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), and Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman.

The meeting comes ahead of the planned inauguration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council on Wednesday, October 14, at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.

It also precedes the party’s scheduled presidential campaign flag-off in Kaduna State on October 24, as preparations intensify for the 2027 presidential election.

The campaign dates were announced on Friday by the Director-General of the campaign council, Senator Abdulaziz Yari, after he briefed President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.

Yari said the campaign would move to Port Harcourt and Maiduguri after the Kaduna flag-off, adding that the full campaign timetable would be released following the inauguration of the council.

Tinubu is seeking re-election in the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.