2015: Atiku’s Posters flood Abuja

AHEAD of 2015 Presidential election, posters of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday Sunday appeared on the streets of the nation’s capital city, Abuja.


The glossy posters were seen on walls of major overhead and pedestrian bridges as well as walls by the road sides especially along the Umaru Yar’Adua way, the road leading to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport road, Abuja.

Though there were no parties attached to the posters, but they were sponsored by the Turaki Network of Change, (TNC) with inscription, “inspired by Change, Turaki Network for Change, TNC Atiku Abubakar GCON ( Turaki Adamawa) Bigger Challenges Greater Opportunities.”

Atiku who has not formally declared interest to run for the 2015 Presidential election against President Goodluck Jonathan, is presently a member of the iNational Executive Committee, NEC of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

It will be recalled that in August 31 at the Special National Convention of PDP, Atiku and six northern governors stormed out of Eagle square, venue of the convention to later address Journalists at the Yar’Adua Centre where the defunct new PDP with Alhaji Abubakar Baraje as Chairman, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola as Secretary and Sam Sam Jaja as Deputy National Chairman.

Also recently, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC registered a group, Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM as a political party. The group was formed by Atiku, chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, Alhaji Shaibu Oyedokun, Mrs Titi Ajanaku, among others not as a party, but a pressure group. Following the registration of PDM as a political party, the former Vice President however threw his weight behind it, but never showed himself as a member.

It will also be recalled that in December, 2006, Atiku Abubakar emerged as the Presidential candidate of Action congress, AC.

He also vied for the presidential ticket of PDP in 2011, but he was defeated by President Goodluck Jonathan at Eagle Square. Out of total votes cast of 3542 according to the returning officer, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Jonathan scored 2736 representing 78% of the total votes while Atiku Abubakar polled 805 votes and the present Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Mrs Sarah Jubril scored only one vote.