The Presidential Campaign Organisation of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, said he was in the United Kingdom to discuss areas of potential future collaboration between Nigeria and UK. Atiku, who supposed to begin his suspended nationwide campaign rallies on January 10, travelled to London last week. Director, Strategic Communications of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation Otunba Dele Momodu, in a terse message yesterday, described Atiku as leading candidate in the February presidential election.
He added that, “an internal source is quoted (as) saying an internal poll by the British government shows AA (Atiku Abubakar) as the leading candidate and the possibility of working together for a more effective post-Brexit world which promises to be a win-win for both countries.
“This is especially imperative as the UK seeks to improve and increase trade partnership with Nigeria.” There was a media report that the aggrieved five PDP governors (G-5), led by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, have eventually adopted the party’s candidate for the February poll. But a source at the PDP secretariat in Abuja denied this, although he admitted that the party was moving towards the reconciliation. “Discussions are still ongoing and we believe that before the election, everybody will come together to work for the success of Atiku in next month’s presidential election,” the source stated. The Rivers State governor had said last December that he would announce his preferred presidential candidate on January 5. At the flag-off of the governorship campaign of Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, who is one of the G-5 governors, in Ibadan on last week, expectations were high that such announcement would be made.