A presidential aspirant on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, on Friday held a private meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja to discuss national issues and the political outlook ahead of the 2027 general election.
The closed-door meeting, which lasted several hours, brought together two longtime associates with a shared history in public service.
Hayatu-Deen previously worked closely with Jonathan during his time in government. While Jonathan served as Vice President, Hayatu-Deen was a member of the National Council on Privatisation and also chaired the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
He later served on the Presidential Advisory Committee during Jonathan’s tenure as Acting President and subsequently as President.
Sources familiar with the meeting said both men reflected on the state of the nation, governance, and the future of Nigeria’s democracy as political activities ahead of 2027 continue to gather momentum.
Hayatu-Deen, an economist and banker with experience in both the public and private sectors, also used the visit to formally notify Jonathan of his decision to contest the presidency under the ADC platform.
The presidential hopeful had earlier collected his nomination form from the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
During the meeting, Hayatu-Deen commended Jonathan for his contributions to democracy and electoral integrity across Africa, describing the former president as a respected statesman on the continent.
Jonathan, in response, warmly welcomed the ADC aspirant and wished him success in his political ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
