After several months of consultations with critical stakeholders in Nigeria and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, will on Saturday make a formal declaration to contest the 2019 presidential election.
A statement from the Media Office of the former Vice President said Abubakar will be making his declaration at a political rally in Yola, the capital of his home state, Adamawa.
According to the press release, Abubakar’s decision to join the presidential race in 2019 is in response to the yearnings of majority of Nigerians to enthrone a government that will fix the country’s broken economy, strengthen national unity and create much-needed jobs for Nigerians.
“After extensive consultations with his family, Nigerians of diverse dispensations at home and abroad, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar has decided to make a formal bid for the 2019 presidential election race under the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party,” the statement said.
Abubakar has embarked on nationwide consultative visits to many states across the country where he met with stakeholders in the PDP.
He has visited all but one of the states in the South South geopolitical zone, as well as some states in the South East geopolitical zone.
Just this week, the former Vice President and leading presidential hopeful embarked on visitations to states in the North East zone where he met with stakeholders from Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba States, culminating in a grand rally in his honour by the Adamawa State chapter of the PDP in Yola on July 21.
The release however noted that the consultative visits to other geopolitical zones of the country will continue in earnest after the formal declaration.
It noted further that Abubakar’s declaration on Saturday will be followed with the unveiling of a policy document that will give a clear direction to the solutions that the former Vice President hopes to bring to bear in governance if elected president of the country.
The statement said: “The campaign’s policy documents being baked by policy experts from diverse backgrounds and youth professionals across the country will be unveiled as soon as the process is concluded.
“The policy document covers a large area of Nigeria’s national life including the economy, restructuring, education, healthcare, agriculture, youth and women development among many others.”
The statement thanked PDP stakeholders from states already visited for the warm reception accorded the former Vice President and his delegation, adding: “Atiku looks forward to a robust consultation in visits to other states on his schedule.”