Atiku in Ogun, promises economic revival, money for education

Former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, held his presidential rally in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on Wednesday.

He urged party members to win their respective polling booths in the forthcoming general elections.

Two of the aggrieved governorship aspirant, however, shunned the rally. Otunba Jimi Lawal was absent both at the stakeholders meeting earlier held in the city and the campaign rally later at the Ake Palace ground, Abeokuta.

Lawal is in court to challenge the victory of the PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, during the primary. Sources close to the aggrieved aspirant said he has no reason to be at the campaign ground.

It was also not clear if Atiku visited his former boss, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo before or after meeting party members and stakeholders at the Park Inn Hotel, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

Addressing supporters briefly at Ake, the venue of the rally, Atiku said the ruling All Progressives Congress had failed Nigeria and urged the electorate to vote the party out this time.

In his entourage were the chairman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State; the Director General of the Council, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; the National Chairman Senator Iyorchia Ayu; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; Governor Nurudeen Adeleke of Osun State; former Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke; his Jigawa State counterpart, Sule Lamido; Minority Leader of the Senate, Philip Aduda; the South-West coordinator, Atiku For President and former Osun State governor, Olagunaoye Oyinlola; the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives, Ndidi Elumelu and the Lagos State PDP governorship candidate, Jide Adeniran.

A campaign spokesman, Senator Dino Melaye, said Ayu is “our irremovable chairman.”

Atiku pledged to expand the scope of the economy to improve the living standard of the people and create more employment opportunities for the burgeoning youth population.

Atiku said more money would be budgeted for education and works towards ending the incessant strikes in Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions.

He added: “We will budget more money for education and make sure stoke ASUU strike and others cease. The education sector is too important to be neglected. I will not allow our standard of education to fall.”