Atiku Starts Campaign on Monday, to Launch Policy Document

Meanwhile, Atiku is billed to start his campaign on Monday in Abuja with the launch of his policy document, which would entail how he intends to direct the country if he gets into the saddle of leadership next year.

Multiple sources close to the campaign told THISDAY last night that the presidential candidate is rounding off his composition of the campaign machine, which would be a mix of the organisation that delivered him at the primary, the party and former aspirants’ structures.

Atiku was said to have addressed members of his Campaign Organisation last Monday and briefed them on the shape of the emerging structure, telling them that they would be collapsed into a more inclusive electioneering machine that would be used to power him into the presidency.

The party leadership, THISDAY gathered, would meet today to continue the harmonisation of the lists of people being proposed to man the directorates of the campaign.

The PDP presidential candidate had last month announced his ally but also a challenger at the primary, Senate President Bukola Saraki, as the director-general of the presidential campaign.

It also named the zonal directors. Governor Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto State) was put in charge of North-west; Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe State), North-east; Dr. Samuel Ortom (Benue State), North-central; Mr. Ayo Fayose, South-west; Chief Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State), South-east; and Chief Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), South-south.

However, THISDAY learnt the comprehensive campaign council might be announced on Saturday

A reliable source told THISDAY yesterday that while the final decision has not been taken, the presidential campaign programmes and activities would be unveiled on Monday.

The source said, “The presidential campaign will start in Abuja on Monday, and the comprehensive campaign council will be announced on Saturday.”

The source said, “He will unveil his policy document in Abuja which entails how he will run the country if elected president.”

However, speaking with THISDAY yesterday, the spokesperson of Atiku Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCO), Mr. Segun Sowunmi, said the PDP as a political party has demonstrated over the years that it is a big party, adding that since the coming on board of the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, the party has gone a step further to show how transparent the party has become.

He added that processes of the party and the drivers of the processes are very clear, stressing that the campaign structure for the presidential campaign would not be any different.

He said, “Like you are aware, his excellency has returned a couple of days ago and in a few days I believe, any moment from now, the comprehensive campaign council will be unveiled, which to the best of my knowledge, will be under the leadership of Senate President, Bukola Saraki. All the other members of those committees will be unveiled in due course.

“As for when our campaign will start, I can assure you that we will be starting immediately the whistle is blown for our programmes and activities are well brochure and we will put into be unveiling them one after the other.

“From the way I perceive it, which is not final or authorised or approved, I believe that the first thing that we deserve to do is to bring to the table a comprehensive policy unveiling. And before this unveiling, we would have easily commenced our activities, where we will go, when we will go and the areas we will go will be unveiled.”

Sowunmi said the PDP was ready to hit the campaign trail.

He stated, “We have always been ready, Nigerians are ready, Nigerians are also ready, Atiku is ready, he has always been ready, members of the campaign team, members of the campaigns team are ready, the APCO is ready, they have always been ready, our support groups are ready, they have always been ready, our party faithful across the nation are also ready and I believe that the media and the international community are also ready.”

Source:- Thisdaylive