Politics

2019: Atiku flags off presidential campaign in Kwara, Wednesday

 

By Mumini AbdulKareem

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will on Wednesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital flag off his party’s presidential campaign.

Senate President and National Leader of the party, Dr Bukola Saraki confirmed this on Saturday during a meeting with leaders and supporters of the party held at Charity House (Ile-Arugbo), in his Ilofa road residence, GRA, Ilorin.

Saraki asked his supporters to troop out in large number to receive Atiku and his entourage, insisting that Kwara is wholly PDP.

Similarly, the chairman of the party, Engr Kola Shittu said the party is expecting top leaders and members of the party in Ilorin on Wednesday for the event.

Speaking with our reporter last night, the chairman said the nearly all the hotels in the state will be book for the event because of the huge influx of people to the state.

He said “We are expecting hundreds of thousands of party faithful to storm Ilorin for the flag off. It is going to be a massive event in the state that will impact positively to the economy of Kwara.

The North West edition of the PDP presidential flag off will hold today (Monday) in Sokoto.


…to visit US after kick-off of campaign

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will travel to the United States after the launch of the presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku, who is the party’s presidential candidate, received his US visa last Thursday, after which he travelled to the United Kingdom before making a surprise return to the country on Saturday.

A source had earlier told The Cable that Atiku aborted his US trip “because he needs assurances” that he would not be embarrassed over allegations of corruption for which Congressman William Jefferson and Siemens have been convicted. He has always denied the allegations.

However, one of his aides has told the online medium that Atiku could not have travelled to the US when the PDP presidential campaign would be kicking off on Monday in Sokoto.

“He will certainly travel to the US but the campaign cannot kick off in his absence. That would be ridiculous,” the aide said.

He refused to give a definite date for the trip, saying “arrangements are still being made”.

He also refused to comment on why Atiku spent only one day in the UK, insisting that “too much fuss” is being made about the US trip.

Atiku, who is widely travelled, has not been to the US in 13 years, fueling speculations that he might be avoiding possible arrest or prosecution.

Diplomatic sources disclosed that if the US was interested in arresting Atiku, he would have been picked up in the UK with which it has a longstanding treaty on mutual legal assistance.

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