Atiku Set To Declare On September 24th,Appoints Ex Minister Aborisade as Campaign Coordinator

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has said he would be making a public declaration to contest for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, in the 2015 presidential elections on Wednesday September 24.

APC had earlier set a timeline of October for the commencement of Primary elections leading to the election of its Presidential candidate.

The party's National Executive Committee (NEC) also approved the use of modified direct Primaries for arriving at the choice of presidential candidate.

In statement issued on Friday by his Media Office in Abuja, Atiku said his campaign would be anchored by a former Minister of Aviation, Professor Babalola Borisade.

The statement which described Borisade as a  veteran of successful presidential contests,  also said the former minister was a well-known political strategist who worked for the victory of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and thereafter, late Chief M. K. O. Abiola on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP.

According to Atiku Media Office, Borisade also worked as the strategist for President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and 2003 elections, both of which were won resoundingly.

“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,” Atiku said.

The former Vice President was of the view that 2015 was 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 says a change is needed now, and he is ready to lead that change”.

An authoritative source who spoke on  Atiku's presidential ambition, confirmed that the  frontline APC chieftain had embarked on extensive consultations with stakeholders at home and abroad.

He recently visited Sokoto State where he held consultations with politicians and leaders of thought in the area over his ambition. The former Vice President had since made similar trips to other parts of the country in search of consensus-building ahead of the party's presidential primaries starting in October.