Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will formally open his presidential campaign on Saturday, following “several months of consultations with critical stakeholders in Nigeria and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” his office said in a statement.
A Friday evening statement from his media office said he would also unveil a policy document soon after the declaration.
“The campaign 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 statement said. “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.”
“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 (PDP)”, the statement added.
Ahead of Saturday’s event, Atiku has spent months 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 geo-political zone, as well as some states in the South-east geo-political zone to explore his path to victory.
His office said he would visit other geo-political zones after the formal declaration Saturday.
