2023: Buhari’s aide Garba Shehu meets Jonathan in Abuja amid speculation on president’s anointed candidate

The senior special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, met with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja on Thursday, May 2.
Telescope.ng reports that the presidential spokesman disclosed this in a tweet, sharing his picture with the Nigerian leader.
He tweeted: “I just ran into President Goodluck Jonathan at the Italian National Day event this evening at the Fraser Suites Hotel, Abuja. He was warm and affable.”
Buhari’s spokesman was among those who were very critical of Jonathan in the first term of this government.
Shehu had blamed ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for Buhari’s delay in appointing members of his cabinet.
It took the president six months to unveil his cabinet and this attracted widespread criticisms.
But Shehu had said the refusal of Jonathan’s government to cooperate with the transition committee had a negative effect on the current administration.
However, the criticism of Jonathan reduced after the former president started warming up to Buhari.
Jonathan had been linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential race, with some governors reportedly pushing for him to succeed Buhari.
His absence from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had fueled speculations that he had turned his back against PDP.