Nigeria, May 31 -- Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's visit to Rotimi Amaechi in Abuja on Thursday was publicly presented as a birthday courtesy call and an opportunity to discuss Nigeria's economic and security challenges. Politically, however, the meeting represented an early attempt at coalition management.

Coming just days after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary, which Atiku won but which Mr Amaechi and fellow aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen rejected as flawed, the visit has drawn attention as a bid to contain tensions within a party aiming to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

In a statement after the meeting, Atiku described Mr Amaechi as "my brother and comp...