March 16, 2022

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has formally informed the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of his intention to run for president in the 2023 general elections thus putting to rest speculations about his candidacy.

Atiku announced his interest on Tuesday during a meeting with the PDP leaders in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

The meeting had in attendance governors and former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim, who himself is a frontline contender for the PDP presidential ticket.

Atiku, who was the party’s presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, begged for another opportunity to represent the PDP in the coming poll, stressing that he would build bridges across the country if given the ticket.

“Please join me in building bridges across this country so that every part of this country will have a sense of belonging,” he told the PDP leaders at the meeting.

“Leaders, elders, wise men of our great party, I call on you to please give me another opportunity to advance all these ideals of our party so that we can consolidate democracy, unity, and development of our country,” he said.

He thanked the PDP leaders for honouring his invitation to attend the meeting.

At the end of the discussion, he took to social media to share photos of the meeting.

“Today’s meeting with the Board of Trustees of the PDP shows clearly that our party is organic and ready to lead Nigeria into a brighter future,” he said in a post on Facebook.

Atiku’s formal declaration also showed that the party is going ahead with its no-zoning policy on the Presidency. Atiku is touted as one of the political heavyweights in his party who would pose a strong challenge at the ruling APC.