The Presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has assured supporters that he would be on ground for the grand finale of the campaign rally of the party’s Osun governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke.
Atiku, who is currently out of the country and is due to return on or before Friday, gave this assurance through his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, who spoke to VANGUARD, in Abuja, Tuesday.
He said, “I can confirm to you that His Excellency, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Waziri of Adamawa, will be on ground for the campaigns in Osun. He is committed to the victory of the party and our candidate, he will be there.”
Apart from Osun governorship election holding this weekend, Atiku who is yet to return to the country, is being expected to return and take charge of reconciling party members who are aggrieved as a result of his choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate.
Party leaders have been at odds over how to douse tension within the party’s ranks as a result of Okowa’s emergence.
Some of the party’s serving and former governors have since voiced their concerns over what they allege was the candidate and the party’s alleged shabby treatment meted out to the first runner up of the PDP Presidential primary and Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Leading the pack is the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, who had in an interview asked that the Presidential candidate make overtures.
He had expressed disappointment that Atiku did not only ignore the recommendations of a committee set up to assist with the choice of a running mate, but had yet to reach out to Wike who was the committee’s preferred candidate.
The issues have been further complicated by a visit last Friday to Wike, a delegation of the All Progressives Congress Governors in a bid to woo him into the fold.