Atiku joins presidency

2015: Atiku joins presidential race

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By TAIWO AMODU, ABUJA on September 6, 2014 · National

■ Says Nigerians crave for change
Former vice-presi­dent, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will on September 24 for­mally make a declaration for the presidential ticket of the main opposition party in the country, the All Progressives Con­gress (APC).
The party’s presidential convention is expected to hold in November.
According to a state­ment from his media aide, Garba Shehu and made available to newsmen in Abuja at the weekend, the event will hold in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Although the statement did not reveal the venue of the formal declaration, it disclosed that former Aviation Minister, Profes­sor Babalola Borisade will anchor Atiku’s campaign.
Recall that the former Aviation Minister worked for the victory of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and thereafter, the late Chief M.K.O. Abi­ola on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 1991 and 1993, respectively.
Borisade also worked as the strategist for President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and 2003 elections, both of which were won resoundingly by the PDP.
Saturday Sun checks revealed that the former vice-president would be contending for the APC presidential ticket along with the former presi­dential candidate of the defunct Congress for Pro­gressive Change (CPC), General Muhammadu Bu­hari and Kano State gov­ernor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.
The APC chieftain was the presidential candidate of the defunct Action Con­gress in 2007 and lost the election to the PDP can­didate, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Atiku returned to the PDP in 2010 and contested for the party’s presidential ticket for the 2011 election which he lost to President Goodluck Jonathan.
He dumped the ruling party this year and joined the APC, claiming alien­ation from the activities of the strategic organs of the PDP as the reason for his defection.
Offering an insight into why he was seeking the 2015 presidency, Atiku noted in the statement that his mission was to reform institutions of government and reconciling a nation torn apart by mutual ethnic distrust.
“This is not about me, it is about our young people. It is about Nigerians. It is their future, not the past. It is about reforming govern­ment, securing the people and reconciling the na­tion”, he stated.
The Turaki Adamawa further submitted: “2015 is special and a potential turning point in Nigeria’s history – that we need to seize the moment to give every Nigerian a chance to help re-define Nigeria as a place for them and their children to prosper and feel safe.” He noted that a change was needed now, adding that he was ready to lead that change.